This year's sweet potato harvest far exceeded initial expectations. "We had little planting material available overall, so the planting dates were pushed back. The good growing and harvesting conditions compensated for the shorter growing seasons, and the crops grew well across the board. All in all, the quantities and quality can be rated as good, although we are finding a slightly higher proportion of smaller sizes," says Andreas Pottbäcker, sweet potato producer in Rheurdt in the Lower Rhine region of Germany.
© Pottbäcker Markt- und Kartoffelhandel GmbH
Even though he did not quite manage to connect to the new season, Pottbäcker was able to supply some existing customers with older produce until the start of the new marketing season. He goes on to say that sweet potato sales are currently somewhat subdued. "There are still many smaller producers on the market who will tend to withdraw from the market in the coming months. Experience has shown that we will find better marketing conditions from February onwards." In addition, he is currently observing slight price pressure at the marketing level.
© Pottbäcker Markt- und Kartoffelhandel GmbH
Andreas Pottbäcker during a visit to the company by FreshPlaza.de a few years ago. The further processing of B-grade or surplus produce is desirable for sustainability reasons alone, but remains difficult due to a lack of profitability, he says.
Growing area, wide range of varieties
Harvesting took place at the beginning of September this year, similar to previous years. "In hindsight, we could have waited another three to four weeks so that the tubers would have been a little bigger. Nevertheless, I would still rate the overall yield as above average," says Pottbäcker, who grows the root vegetable on a total of 14 hectares, which is an increase of around two hectares compared to last year. Depending on sales results and the availability of planting material, the passionate producer will expand his cultivation capacity again next year.
© Pottbäcker Markt- und Kartoffelhandel GmbH
Insights into the sweet potato harvest
Up to 80 percent of his total cultivation capacity is devoted to the Bellevue variety. Pottbäcker also grows the Orleans and Bayou Belle varieties, and since last year, the purple-colored Sakura variety. Each variety has its own advantages and characteristics, he emphasizes. "Bellevue has a higher tuber yield, but the individual tubers are generally slightly smaller. With Bayou Belle, it's precisely the opposite. The advantage of a broad range of varieties has once again become apparent this year: Bellevue seedlings were in short supply, so we switched to the Orleans variety, which has a similar appearance."
© Pottbäcker Markt- und Kartoffelhandel GmbH
View of the field a few weeks after planting
The upward trend continues
Starting out as a side business to table potato cultivation, sweet potatoes have now developed into a permanent and growing branch of the business. The main customers include Edeka Rhein-Ruhr, Picnic, potato wholesaler Von der Stein (as reported by FreshPlaza.de), and, for about two years now, Landgard eG. "The latter customer is increasingly asking for our produce, especially in the second half of the season. We also see further growth potential here. Most of our produce is delivered loose in reusable crates. We only package the produce in small 500-gram containers for Picnic. The small tubers, which we have harvested in greater quantities this year, are particularly well suited for this. We also see an upward trend here in the long term."
For more information:
Andreas Pottbäcker
Kartoffelhof Pottbäcker
Kengen 39
47509 Rheurdt
Tel: +49 2833 1447
[email protected]
www.pottbaecker.com
