Potato growers on Spain's Gran Canaria island are delaying the planting of around 2.6 million kilos of seed potatoes at the start of the season due to waterlogged fields, mud, and the risk of further rainfall causing seed rot. As a result, the island's main potato harvest is now dependent on weather conditions, with nearly 30 million kilos expected later in the year. The delay could concentrate harvesting into a shorter period, raising the risk of market saturation.
Prolonged rainfall since November has filled reservoirs, replenished aquifers, and flooded agricultural land across the island. While water availability has improved, the volume and persistence of rainfall have created planting difficulties, particularly where soils are already saturated. Over one recent three-day period, rainfall reached 94 liters per square meter in Valleseco, 84 in Teror, and 77 in San Mateo, adding to already high cumulative totals over the past two months.
Potato planting has largely come to a halt, as saturated soils increase the likelihood of seed potatoes rotting in the ground. This poses financial risks for growers, as the summer campaign represents between 60 and 70 per cent of annual production. According to Armando Rodríguez, a technician with the Island Council and a potato grower, only limited planting has taken place so far, mainly in areas such as Telde and Guía, where soil conditions allow for quicker drainage. "Very little, if anything, has been planted. With all the accumulated water, even a few liters of rain will flood the land again," he said.
Under normal conditions, planting begins in January and continues through March, with harvesting from May to July after around four months in the ground. Given current field conditions, harvesting is now expected to start between August and September. Growers are waiting for soils to dry sufficiently before resuming land preparation. "Now we have to wait for the soil to dry out before we can till it, as it's already saturated with water," Rodríguez added.
Gran Canaria dedicates close to 700 hectares to potato production, with the summer crop being the most important of the year. While seed availability is not an issue and reservoirs are full, the compressed planting window means much of the crop could be harvested at the same time, potentially affecting prices.
Gran Canaria produces about 62 per cent of the potatoes it consumes, with the remainder imported, mainly from the United Kingdom. According to local agricultural specialists, fewer potatoes are being stored this season to manage prices, as current market demand is absorbing most available volumes.
Source: laprovincia.es / Argenpapa
