European physical markets
Price summary €/t (source: NEPG):
Belgium
Fiwap/PCA market message:
Processed potatoes: the market is recovering slowly, with industrial activity levels (45 to 100%) continuing to progress as the lockdown gradually eases up and sales of processed products improve. Depending on the factories and their needs (sometimes for specific products), producer prices vary between 3.00 and 5.00 €/q. Qualities are gradually degrading (although the frying colors remain good in the reference warehouses), with a loss of firmness, germination, compression spots. Therefore, some buyers want to make sure they have good merchandise as long as it is available. It already seems certain that the volume of early potatoes available in a few weeks will be lower than normal, which can influence the current firmer trend. The exports of fresh potatoes are coming to an end. The quality is degrading (compression spots, loss of firmness) and buyers have almost fully turned to the new imported or indigenous potatoes. Deliveries for livestock continue at prices lower than those quoted for processing. Preparers-packers for the domestic market continue to work at a higher pace than normal.
Bintje, Challenger, Fontane, Innovator, Markies…: 3.00–5.00 €/q, depending on quality, buyer, volume and destination. Sustained market.
Weighted prices (red and white varieties) at the Roeselare veiling (source: REO via PCA):
Price for all comers, 35 mm+, min 60% 50 mm+, min 360g/5kg PSE, bulk, friable, departure, excl. VAT, direct delivery: Bintje, Fontane, Challenger: no quotation due to a lack of transactions for the industry.
Forward market
EEX in Leipzig (€/q) Bintje, Agria and related var. for processing, 40 mm+, min 60% 50 mm+:
Netherlands
PotatoNL: also available on www.potatonl.com
According to the VTA, the market is starting to come to life somewhat. Prices between 3.00 and 5.00 €/q for friable potatoes. They are used for export in particular.
France
Industrial production, bulk, departure, excl.VAT, Nord Seine, €/qt, min–max (moy)(RNM):
Quotations are back for the industry around 3.00 €/qt for most varieties. For some batches or varieties of higher quality, prices up to 5.00 €/q.
UNPT notes that some manufacturers are back on the market with producer prices between 3.00 and 5.00 €/qt.
Germany
Fresh market (old potatoes): end of quotations. Prices from last week: 24.75 €/q for firm flesh and 23.63 €/q for soft and mealy flesh.
Indigenous early potatoes: sales at the farm and on the markets (Palatinate, Rhineland, early regions of Lower Saxony…) are gradually increasing. Prices remain firm. The first no-peel potatoes are expected for mid-June. Rhineland, early potatoes: between 76 and 84 €/q, depending on variety, quality and location. Palatinate: between 64 €/q (soft flesh) and 66 €/q (firm flesh).
Processing market
Fontane/Challenger: no quotation. Innovator: no quotation. Quotations for other uses (biogas, livestock feed…): 1.50 - 2.00 €/qt (1.50 - 2.00 €/q last week).
Organic potatoes: the trade of indigenous organic potatoes continues. The stocks in crates-fridges should make it possible to sell for another 1 to 3 weeks.
Indigenous early potatoes, weighted average prices, for all Länder.
Yields are disappointing (and starting to plateau), mostly due to poor soil structures, and secondarily due to the drought (although most early potatoes are irrigated), and to the cold snap from mid-May.
The price for Mediterranean potatoes continue to drop, due to the clash between the potatoes from Egypt (+/- 48 € returned) and from Israel (returned around 55 €) and Spain (returned between 55 and 60 €).
Great Britain
For more information:
FIWAP
www.fiwap.be