The total potato area in the NEPG region (EU-04) has been reduced by 4.7%, going from 522,300 to 497,700 ha (-24,600 ha). The decline is observed in all countries, although more in Belgium and in the Netherlands, where surface areas have increased the most in recent years, still remaining below the 5-year average (see table below). This is a historic event because the surface areas have generally increased, year after year, over the past 2 decades. However, it is the production per hectare rather than the potato area that will determine the total harvest for 2021.
The 2nd half of the 2020-2021 season has been marked by traders often buying at higher prices than the Belgapom quotation.
In some countries, mostly in France and in Belgium, producers observe that in the past 3 or 4 months, some traders have bought at higher prices than the Belgapom quotation on Fridays in order to then supply processing plants that were not on the market.
Still many unknowns
For both early and ware potatoes, the list of unknowns is still considerable. Regarding the early potatoes, the heavy rains of the past weeks could prevent the quick accumulation of dry matter in the tubers. This could lead to delays in contract deliveries and give some space for the last potatoes of the 2020 harvest.
In all countries, the potatoes have developed a lot of foliage, but the tubers are much smaller on average. “A lot of foliage and no tubers” seems to be a recurring observation. The tuberization of ware varieties seems higher than it was in the past 3 or 4 years. High numbers of tubers generally indicate a potentially good harvest, but of course, there must be enough rain in August and September to fill the tubers and make them grow. In case of a heatwave and/or drought, the ware varieties could be affected much more rapidly than in previous years, because the plants did not grow a lot of (deep) roots.
The Covid-19 situation, while evolving more or less favorably, could still lead to different types of restrictions and slow down the demand for frozen fries and other potato-based products.
Higher production costs and new challenges
The production costs for the 2021-2022 season are already expected to be higher for blight sprays (and others!), for energy (diesel and electricity), for fertilization (liquid nitrogen prices have doubled in just a few months, for example). Not to mention everything related to construction: insulation materials, concrete, steel and wood have also increased dramatically.
Producers are also very much aware of the new challenges: we need more sustainable and robust varieties, more resistant to blight or more tolerant to drought and heat. We also need varieties that require less fertilizing and are more efficient in terms of nitrogen use.
For more information:
Loïc LE MEUR
UNPT (Union Nationale des Producteurs de Pommes de Terre)
43-45 rue de Naples F-75008 Paris
Phone: + 33 (0)1 44 69 42 43
Mobile: +33 (0)6 23 17 40 35
www.producteursdepommesdeterre.org