Decrease in the area of potatoes in the NEPG area

Over the past 2 decades, year after year, the total area of ​​potatoes has increased in the NEPG area. But this year a decline of 4.7% is expected. The 2021 harvest should depend more on production per hectare than on the reduction in areas.

 

NEPG, the North West European Potato Producers Group, brings together the national organizations ABS, FIWAP, FWA, PCA (Belgium), REKA (Germany), UNPT (France) and VTA (Netherlands). Group data indicates that the total area of ​​potatoes reaches 497,683 hectares for 2021.

 

That is, a decrease of 4.7% compared to the 521,985 hectares in 2020 and a variation of + 1% compared to the 494,052 hectares which represent the average over 5 years.

 

According to Group data, there has been a decrease in surface area in all countries: in Belgium with 89,053 hecatres, i.e. -8.2% compared to 2020, in Germany with 183 0620 hecatres, i.e. -3.5% , in France with 153,840 hectares or -3.0% and in the Netherlands with 71,730 hectares or -6.5%.

 

Belgium and the Netherlands are the only countries whose 2021 area is below the 5-year average, with rates of -8.2% for Belgium and -6.5% for the Netherlands.

 

According to NEPG, the 2021 harvest should depend more on production per hectare than on the reduction in areas.