"Possibly 50% less early potatoes from Malta"

As a result of frost the supply of early potatoes from Malta will not be too big. Piet Blankendaal of Blankendaal Trade, The Netherlands, even expects 50% less early potatoes compared to last year. "All in all supply will be a lot less. Also on Cyprus the potato harvest has been much decreased by frost."

The potato trader expects the early varieties to arrive in the course of next week. "But that is still dependent on the weather. The late varieties still need to grow for another six or seven weeks. These will only arrive at the end of April or the beginning of May." Piet's reaction is rather laconic about the 'meagre' harvest expectation. "We do not need to eat all these potatoes then in any case."

Blankendaal Trade BV organized their own sorting station on Malta and will buy the potatoes directly from the growers. 75% of the potatoes imported from Malta by Blankendaal are of the crumbly seed variety Alpha. These seeds are exported to Malta in October and the 'off spring' imported into the Netherlands again. Sales will again be effected in cooperation with Olympic Fruit B.V. in Barendrecht.