Austrian potato market: No prospect of improvement

Few Austrian market participants will look back at this potato season with nostalgia: There is still no prospect of improvement of the Austrian potato market. At the end of March many growers still seem to have huge supplies. Due to the bad international market surroundings and increasing quality problems, quick sales of stored potatoes is often advised. The sales in the country itself are going as usual in this season. The export, which is urgently needed to loose supplies, is going stiffly, despite clear price concessions. The grower's prices haven't changed for weeks. The number of potatoes that can no longer be sold is increasing. For medium sized potatoes nine to ten Euro is paid per 100 kg. For overly large potatoes usually only two Euro, and potatoes with the GlobalGAP certificate are sold for at least 12 Euro per 100 kg.

Germany
In Germany the large supply is also higher than the demand. The growers prices are under pressure. Fees are only sometimes paid for high quality potatoes from cooling houses. Due to the deterioration in quality, more parties are arriving on the market, which have to find new sales channels. Now and then there are critical parties that are sold to biogas installations or starch factories for low prices.