The supply of packable table potatoes for the premium segment continues to decline. Meanwhile, discount-grade potatoes remain available and are selling steadily. According to Weuthen GmbH, consumption of table potatoes in Germany has continued to rise.
Substandard potatoes in the Rhineland are being diverted to alternative uses, such as biogas, animal feed, etc. Exports to Eastern Europe have picked up somewhat, though only for high-quality potatoes. Exports to Africa continue to move steadily from the Netherlands, albeit at very low price levels.
French table potatoes are in little demand in Germany and are not making a significant market entry. Egyptian early table potatoes are supplementing the supply in food retail. Sales here are currently still negligible. Late frosts in the Palatinate and Lower Saxony have caused no damage. Spanish early table potato cultivation has been delayed and its quality compromised by heavy rainfall during planting and in recent weeks.
Weak onion exports
The export market for table onions is weakening, and only for buyers of large onions of top quality. Meanwhile, export figures in the Netherlands remain weak at under 20,000 tons per week. Contracted goods, however, are being shipped as scheduled. Supply pressure from lower-quality onions is easing. There are also hardly any exports to Eastern Europe, while onion sales to German food retailers remain consistently stable.
Source: Weuthen
