The drought caused problems for German potato growers in 2020. Nevertheless, yields rose above 40 metric tons for the first time since 2017, reaching 42.8 metric tons per hectare in 2020. With a cultivation area of around 273,500 hectares, this resulted in a harvest volume of 11.7 million tons.
Since 2016, farmers have continuously expanded the area under potato cultivation in Germany: while potatoes were grown on around 243,000 hectares in 2016, the area under cultivation in 2020 was around 273,500 hectares. This means that Germany is still behind Poland in the EU in terms of acreage, but it remains the largest EU potato producer in terms of volume.
Organic potato cultivation on just under four percent of the area
According to estimates by the Federal Agricultural Information Center (BZL), organic potatoes were grown on about 10,200 hectares (3.7 percent) of the potato-growing area in 2020. Most are offered as fresh potatoes. Fifteen percent of the organically farmed area is used to grow potatoes that are processed into potato products and starch.
Two kilograms more potatoes per person
According to preliminary data from the BZL, per capita consumption of potatoes in the 2019/ 20 marketing year was 57.4 kilograms; an increase of two kilograms per person compared to the 2018/ 19 marketing year. Each person consumed 35.7 kilograms of potato products, such as French fries, potato salad or chips. This is about 200 grams less than in the previous marketing year. The self-sufficiency rate in 2019/ 20 was 144 percent.
Since the current 2019/ 20 supply balance covers the period July 2019 to June 2020, no impact of Corona-related restrictions on food service and company restaurants can yet be drawn from these figures. This will be possible with the 2020/21 supply balance.
More information:
Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE)
Dr. Hanns-Christoph Eiden
Deichmanns Aue 29
53179 Bonn
Tel: +49 (0)228 6845-0
Fax: +49 (0)30 1810 6845-3444
E-Mail: info@ble.de
Web: www.ble.de/DE