The Austrian potato market is stable in the last week of February. Because of the somewhat higher temperatures supply has increased again. Sales are satisfactory both locally and on the export market. The deliveries to Romania and Bulgaria expecially have clearly increased during the recent period.
Growers' prices remained unchanged. Nine to ten Euro per 100 kgs. is being paid for the middle sized potatoes. For potatoes of good durability and premium quality with AMA and GlobalGap hallmarks the price is up to twelve Euro/100 kgs. and for very large potatoes mostly two Euro/100 kgs.
Because of the changed weather conditions the German potato market also appears to be moving again. Deliveries outside the region do not have any restrictions anymore and the local market has increased slightly. At the moment the demand is mostly for potatoes of top quality. However, these are difficult to come by. Even the storage warehouses do not have these as a matter of course.
In Germany growers prices also remained at the same level. An additional charge is sometimes obtained for potatoes of very good quality. The trading chains hold on to the German product, although there are favourable offers from France. As far as quantities are concerned the role of France is hardly of importance in the trade. The same goes for imported early consumption potatoes. It is likely that this will not change quickly.