Early potato production in Andalusia to decline 35% this campaign

This year's new early potato campaign in Andalusia (Spain) is expected to decline by up to 35%. According to Asociafruit, an association that represents potato producers and exporters in Andalusia, the main cause of this reduction is the current drought and the restrictions placed on irrigation, which will result in lower productivity and a significant shortage of caliber. The recent high temperatures have only exacerbated this situation by compounding the effects of water scarcity.

Furthermore, the frosts experienced during the past winter have caused additional damage to the potato crops, resulting in lost production. For those areas that have been replanted, delayed sowing due to these factors is likely to further reduce productivity.

In Western Andalusia, the area cultivated for early potatoes this campaign is slightly less than last year, with 4,930 hectares sown for early potatoes and 1,887 hectares for half-season potatoes. This represents a reduction compared to last year's half-season potato surface of 2,235 hectares.

In terms of productivity, the area of the new early potato campaign in Western Andalusia and Cartagena is expected to have reach 10,500 hectares. Asociafruit estimates that compared to a normal production rate of 45,000 kilos per hectare, many farms will not surpass 20,000 kilograms. The association brings together 75% of potato-producing and marketing companies in Andalusia, which represents over 90% of potato exports from this autonomous community.