Spain: Fepex analyses the situation in the potato market

The Potato Committee, FEPEX, made up by producers and merchants in the several autonomous communities, held a meeting in Madrid, to analyse the potato campaign, mainly with regards to the extra early and early varieties, that will start in May, and the market situation.

The Committee, presided over by Mariano Ruiz, will analyse also other current themes related to farming and their influence on the potato sector, like the reform proposal CAP by the European Commission or the consequences of the renovation of the agricultural protocol in the Association Agreement between the EU and Morocco.

Potato is the main imported vegetable by Spain, adding up to 649,998 tons in 2011, representing a 16% annual drop. France is the main supplier with 460,959 tons in 2011, followed by the United Kingdom with 79,665 tons. The biggest part of the Spanish import takes place between December and April.

As for exports, in 2011 there were 241,538 tons, 1% more than in 2010, by 70.4 million Euro (-5%). Main exporting communities are Castilla y León with 85,881 tons in 2011, some 43% of the national totals, and Andalucía with 54,363 tons, some 17% of the total. Main destinations are Portugal and Germany.

FEPEX gathers together producers and merchants from the main autonomous communities joint in three associations: Asociafruit in Andalucía gathering 95% of the production and exports of early potato in Spain; ASONAL that gathers producers and merchants in the whole Spain; and the Iberian Club of Potato Professionals (Club Ibérico de Profesionales de la Patata - CIPP), an association of potato packagers and merchants in Spain.