Although the onion market is currently hot, the potato market is in a slump. “Of course prices are nice, but everyone expected slightly more,” says Adrie Kleinjan of the potato company of the same name from Goudswaard, the Netherlands. “Prices have actually been fairly stable for some weeks, but the potato market is an open book. No one knows what’ll happen, but it’ll be determined in the next three or four months.”
“European countries will first use their own product. There’s some export, but it’s divided into portions to destinations such as Africa, Southern Europe and the Caribbean. We primarily supply permanent customers. We all expected some additional demand, and therefore a bit more tension on the market. Nothing much spectacular has happened yet, and everyone expected it after the dry summer,” the potato trader continues.
“Farmers are calmly supplying and when demand is regular, the market is fairly balanced. The question is when industry will start demanding more. That could possible cause some movement on the market. The market will remain uncertain regarding the amount of potatoes available, but if not too many are lost, there will be plenty.”
As yet, quality problems are barely an issue according to Adrie. “But the potatoes have all grown with ditchwater and at high temperatures, so I’m unwilling to make predictions how they’ll be next spring. We haven’t had any complaints up till now, and I’m not afraid to send my potatoes to any destinations, but we’ll have to be very alert in the coming months,” Adrie says.
Although a large supply from the Mediterranean countries is expected next spring, this isn’t certain yet either, according to Adrie. “Plenty of seed potatoes have to be available as well, and that’s not the case because of the dry summer. Seed companies will have to carefully decide how to distribute their supply, and they’ll first serve their permanent customers. A lot of people in the Netherlands will receive fewer seed potatoes as well.”
For more information:
Kleinjan's aardappelhandel
Zuidoordseweg 6
3267 LW Goudswaard, the Netherlands
Tel.: +31 186 69 29 00
Fax.: +31 186 69 14 91
info@kleinjansaardappelhandel.nl
www.kleinjansaardappelhandel.nl