In Rostock the 14 companies of the growers association grow certified organic potatoes. The concept is starting to show results. "This will be our best harvest so far," Littmann of the growers association says. With an average potato harvest of presumably 25 tons/HA the income should be good.
Not only the good growing conditions with sufficient wet weather from the middle of June caused a rich harvest for the organic growers. "Early varieties, such as Solist, Ballerina and Salomé, which are robust against potato diseases, are part of the success story," Littmann says. "In addition we allow the potatoes to sprout in March inside and for irrigation in May we put drip tubes in the rows." In this way the plants receive sufficient water, but remain dry and just about free of fungus."
The growers association Fürstenhof GmbH grows potatoes on 150 HA in total. Almost the entire harvest goes as table potatoes to retail outlets. With between 40 and 80 cents per kilo these potatoes clearly fetch a higher price than the potatoes of the commercial cultivation. Only the smaller, the so-called triplets, are used as food for about 400,000 egg laying chickens in 14 locations.