Things are still no fun in the potato market. Prices remain on the very low side, and contract talks for next year are in the offing. However, there are no worries for Stijn Windey of Agra Claessens. The grower and trader markets all his produce himself and is actually not even that dissatisfied with the season. "The yields were good, and the quality is also good. Prices could be slightly better, but we are certainly not complaining," says the Hamme-based grower.
"Overall, we are satisfied with how the season is going. For us, the potato situation is not particularly problematic at the moment," he continues. "The underwater weight was high earlier last season, so we had to kill haulm earlier. However, you cannot control the weather in the summer. Our sales are going well. We are not an industrial supplier, but mainly supply wholesale, retail, and small buyers. That all keeps moving nicely. There are, however, colleagues who try to sell at low prices on the fresh market. That is not an advantage, but it does not lead to major volume losses for us."
"Of course, we also hear that some colleagues are having a tougher time, just like in the Netherlands. Especially companies that relied heavily on the free market last season are sometimes in financially difficult situations, but for us, it is not so bad. In retail, we largely set our own prices, and consumer prices have not really fallen either, which allows us to maintain a stable level. Wholesale is somewhat more sensitive to inflows from other suppliers. There, we have had to lower prices slightly compared to last season, but it is certainly not dramatic. We are not tearing our trousers over it. Contract growing is therefore never an option for us either. Perhaps our acreage is also too small for that."
Preservation focus
So it is another relatively positive note from Stijn, who also sees that potatoes are holding up well in storage, albeit with some attention required. "The harvest itself went well, with good yields and neat storage. We harvested quite early because we had also planted early. On our soil, the underwater weight can rise quickly, so we aim to stay below 400 to avoid problems such as blue discolouration. We therefore kill haulm based on the underwater weight, usually around 380. This year, there were already good kilos present at that point, so both quality and yield were fine."
"However, we did have to start sprout inhibition early. We started as early as the second week of October, which requires extra attention this season. We have now gassed about three times. The potatoes are in mechanical cooling and kept constantly around 7 degrees, but despite that, we have to monitor them closely. For the fresh market, germination is absolutely not allowed, so we must stay on top of it. That is working, but it requires more treatments than in other years. The autumn was relatively warm, so cooling was more intense. Now that outside temperatures are lower, things are more relaxed. Possibly the repeated gassing has also had an effect, so the potatoes have calmed down somewhat, but germination control remains a major focus this year."
© Agra Claessens
Moese Patatoes
With the new year, preparations for the new early potato Moese Patatten have also begun at Agra Claessens. "Everything is ready for planting. In fact, we wanted to start last week, but due to the snowfall, we waited a bit. This week, we are starting in the greenhouse. Everything is nicely pre-germinated, and the soil temperature is good. We have not had any frost in the wide-span greenhouses yet, and we do not expect any major problems in the event of cold spells. So we will get started in the coming days. Everything is on schedule and if spring turns out favourable, we might be able to harvest early again. Of course, that remains to be seen."
Correction in contract price proposals
Looking at the broader picture in the potato market, Christophe Vermeulen provided an update on developments in potato country. "The year has started as the previous one ended, with a subdued mood on the free market and a quotation that continues to hover around 15 euros per tonne of potatoes. I am often asked how long this situation will last. The only honest answer I can give is that it will definitely change, but I cannot estimate when exactly that will be. The amount of tonnage under contract, fluctuations in industrial demand, and pool conditions will be the determining factors this spring. Unfortunately, Father Christmas has dropped his crystal ball again this year. There is one positive note, though: Fries quality remains excellent."
"Speaking of contracts, the big buyers are quietly coming forward with their price proposals for the 2026–2027 season," he continues. "The tone in this respect was set by Agristo. As I have indicated for some time, a correction was to be expected. The proposed prices are about 17 per cent lower than this season, which amounts to roughly 40 euros per tonne less. That decline does level off somewhat with longer storage. Given the economic context and the challenges facing the entire sector, I dare say, without too much risk, that this trend, with minor adjustments here and there, will be followed by most players."
For more information:
Stijn Windey
Agra Claessens
Bootdijkstraat 23A
9220 Moerzeke, Belgium
Tel: +32 472 47 51 38
[email protected]
www.agraclaessens.be
