The potato harvest is approaching its end in Hungary, as reported by the National Chamber of Commerce. Due to the bad weather conditions, the yield this year will only reach 23.9 tons/hectare, considerably less than the 40 tons that are obtained in optimal conditions.
Also, according to producers and traders, the price per kilo could rise up to 300 forints (0.93 Euro) for Christmas. This, however, does not mean the end of the upswing, as prices may continue to rise up to the spring.
It is also worth noting that according data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, while Hungary produced 3 million tons of potatoes in 1960, potatoes are currently grown on 8,088 hectares that yield about 200 thousand tons annually. That is, in almost half a century, the potato production has decreased to less than one tenth of the original figure.
Less production, more imports
75-80 percent of Hungary's consumption is covered by domestic crops, and in recent years, 22 to 28 thousand tons of potatoes have been imported. The largest suppliers are France, the Netherlands and Slovakia. The export of potatoes oscillates between 5 and 10 thousand tons, with shipments going mainly to Romania and the Czech Republic, according to a statement from the National Chamber of Agriculture. They add, however, that the import of finished products is very high. The country imports 40 to 46 thousand tons of processed frozen ready-to-eat products, most of them from the Netherlands and Poland. Interestingly, most of Hungary's 10,000-ton exports go to the Netherlands and Poland.
