Belgium
Fiwap/PCA market messages:
Most businesses are buying Fontane and Innovator, for immediate or delayed delivery. Overall supply is not excessive, except perhaps in Bintje. Export continues in small volumes to various destinations in Eastern and Southern Europe. In the field, very few hectares of early crops are planted in Flanders, with the soil still being too wet and/or too cold in most cases.
Industrial varieties: general price, 35 mm +, min 60% 50 mm +, min 360 gr/5kg of EPS, bulk, friable, departure, excluding VAT, direct delivery:
Bintje : €2,00 to €3,00/a, depending on quality and destination; quiet market (supply greater than, or equal to, demand). Very little demand from the industry; on the other hand ,peelers remain buyers of the best batches (size and roast) at higher prices. The supply is sufficient;
Challenger : sustained market (demand equal to or greater than supply). Price around €3.00/a, with more interest from some buyers;
Fontane : €5,00 to €6,00/a, with the most common price being at €5.00/a, at the beginning of the week. Firm market (demand greater than supply). The demand for immediate delivery, as well as for delayed delivery (at higher prices) is very present, while the supply remains reluctant;
Innovator : €5,00 to €6,00/a, for immediate delivery, with renewed interest from the processing industry.
European physical markets
Summary of rates (source: NEPG):
Bintje plant/other varieties "fries": Very little trade. Dutch plant, class A, made April 2018, per 5 tons, in bags, excl. VAT:
Size 28 - 35 mm : 60,00 – 64,00 €/a
Size 35 – 45 mm : 29,00 – 31,00 €/a
Future market: EEX in Leipzig (€/a) Bintje, Agria and various related for conversion, 40 mm+, min 60 % 50 mm +:Future market: EEX in Leipzig (€/a) Bintje, Agria and various related for conversion, 40 mm+, min 60 % 50 mm +:
Netherlands
The firmness of the courses was maintained last week. Industrial demand is good (factories are running at full capacity), especially in Fontane, Innovator and Agria, whose higher prices are rising. The actual transactions are in a wide range of prices, ranging from €5.00/a for "meeleveraardappelen" (a surplus of contracts for the same buyer, but without a predefined price) to €10.00/a for Agria, with delivery in June. Transactions considering Fontane are at €7.00/a, with deliveries in April or May. The supply of problematic batches has been reduced. The export to the Caribbean and Eastern Europe continues “normally", with basic prices at €8.00 to €9.00/a. Sales in basic varieties are up from €10.00 to €12.00/a in fried size/quality for Southern Europe. The delay of the Mediterranean early potatoes maintains a sustained atmosphere on the domestic fresh markets. In the field, the rain in the first week of April varies greatly according to the sub-regions: generally less than 15 mm in the whole of the east of the country, 15 to 30 mm in the southwest and 30 to 45 mm in the North-west. Plantations are therefore not yet starting on a large scale.
Quotation PotatoNL : also available on www.potatonl.com
VTA quotation (Verenigde Telers Akkerbouw)
France
For the industry, the evolution remains positive on the popular varieties such as Fontane, Innovator or Markies. Most other prices are unchanged. Even if the demand is not very dynamic, it is present for immediate delivery but also for delayed delivery (May/June). Quality issues remain ad hoc. In export, the markets are tightening up a bit on the best qualities. Demand from Eastern countries is dynamic. The quality is closely monitored, and of some lots it will be difficult to keep track of current stocks, despite a longer than normal season, given the delay in cultivation and the decline of early areas in southern Europe. The noted prices range from €6.00 to €8.00/a (calibrated departure) in variety/basic quality, up to €11.00 to €14.00/a, in varieties with firm pulp and/or very good washability.
Unwashed industrial potato, bulk, selling price, excl. VAT, North Seine, €/a, min – max (avg) (RNM):
The good momentum for exports is continuing (source: CNIPT): France exported 180,700 tons last February, within an average over the last 4 years. Compared to last year, sales to Italy are very dynamic (+15% to 33,760 tons), as well as to the Eastern countries (+115% to 18,690 tons). They are stable towards Spain (-1% to 67,390 tons) and severely down to Belgium (-29% to 25,740 tons). There is also a good trade to the Arabian Peninsula (nearly 2,000 tons in February). The total of the season (all destinations) reached 1,015,400 tons on February 28; 15% better than last year.
Germany
The weather of the last 7 to 10 days has allowed for a strong advance of plantations in the Rhineland. Overall however, they are 2 to 3 weeks behind on the “normal" schedule.
On the fresh market, producer prices are slightly up: on April 3rd, prices had been estimated at €11.83/a (+ 1.7%) for firm pulp, and €11.08/a (+ 0.7%) for soft pulp. In potatoes for the industry (French fries), demand remains strong, and the prices of Fontane and Innovator are slightly up. The starch industry continues to rotate partly on potato chips. In organic potatoes, producer prices are around €48,00/a.
*you will have to deduct €1,00/a from these prices in their starting fields in the table above for sorting fees
Great Britain
Average producer price (all markets combined) week 13: € 11.62 (£ 10.16).
For more information:
Fiwap