NEPG hopes for a 5% reduction in potato acreage

The demand for processed potato products has fallen sharply and export markets have lost their potential, so that the European processing industry has reduced its capacity and raw material needs.

 

 

 

Due to the closure of catering services the demand for processed products has fallen sharply but the demand for retail trade has increased, both for fresh table potatoes and for potato products. Exports of fresh potatoes are at an average level. However, this additional demand is not enough to consume the entire remaining harvest of 2019, knowing that not all varieties are suitable for use as fresh table potatoes for domestic consumption or export.

 

 

 

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) estimates that there will be more than 2 million tonnes of unprocessed potatoes at the end of the season.

 

 

 

The only solution would be to plant much less. However, the fields were already rented, the contracts signed, the seed potatoes were already bought or delivered, and planting started at the end of March, mostly too late to reduce the area enough. Nevertheless, the NEPG hopes that the area of ​​potatoes in the 5 NEPG countries has decreased by 5% but this rate is considered to be insufficient.

 

 

 

Growing conditions and yields will determine the final amount of the crop. The growing season has just started and no estimate is possible.