In the recent three seasons, potato cultivation in Poland, primarily focused on processing and seed potatoes, has encountered limitations. High prices in neighboring regions have constrained imports, impacting market stability and increasing pressure on buyers to accept lower-quality tubers.
McCain Poland, a French fries manufacturer, operates extensively in Poland, sourcing raw materials primarily through contracts with growers in the southwestern region. Essential parameters for raw material recipients are stable production and quality.
Supplier yields have varied between 20 to 60 t/ha. Planning deliveries at an average of 40 t/ha leads to material shortages or surpluses. Such fluctuations challenge management, amplified by quality issues. While technology changes have mitigated greening issues, concerns about low dry matter content and pest infestations, notably by wireworms, persist.
Irrigation development could mitigate seasonal water shortages, while field selection remains vital for production planning, as frequent potato cultivation reduces yield potential and increases quality problems.
Insufficient storage infrastructure for both market and seed potatoes remains a bottleneck. Proper storage minimizes raw material use directly from the field and maintains quality into spring. With most processors continuing production from "old" potatoes in June, some materials must come from storage, similarly affecting seed potato deliveries, creating supply backlogs in April.
Improved farm infrastructure facilitates managing potential challenges. The ability to store and sort raw material simplifies selling during overproduction seasons.
Quality standards via certification are expected in Europe; however, much Polish production remains uncertified, despite end-user (retail chains, distributors) requirements. This necessitates raw material documentation by intermediaries and processors.
Competitive pressures are intensified as potato production grows in Germany, the Benelux, and France, affecting both domestic and broader European markets. Polish production must compete on quality and price, with phytosanitary restrictions posing additional challenges.
Source: Argenpapa
