A decrease of potato cultivated area is expected in 2021.

On January 28, the FEPEX Potato Committee held a meeting via videoconference in which they discussed the situation of the potato sector in the future campaign.

According to Marcos Román, the head of the potato sector of the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producing and Exporting Companies of Andalusia and Extremadura (Asociafruit), in Andalusia, which is the main producing region of early potato, they have already carried out a large part of the planting, with a cultivated area between 5 and 10 percent less than in 2020.

This potato will be harvested from the end of April to June. Afterwards, they will start to collect the mid-season or late potato, which is grown mainly in the central part of Spain, especially in the Castilla y León region. 

The Committee foresees a decrease of the surface of 20 percent for this variety, while in the Basque Country the surface will remain at almost the same level as last year.

Regarding the 2020 campaign, as a result of the pandemic, the sales of potato destined for supermarkets shown the growth compared to 2019, while sales of the product destined to the HoReCa channel turned out to be injured by the closure of bars and restaurants. On the other hand, while the wholesale consumption stagnated, the consumption of the packaged product increased.

Until November 2020, the consumption of fresh potato at homes increased by 16 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, totaling 891.4 million kilos, worth 885 million euros, with an increase also of 16 percent.

Consumption in 2020 was 23.7 kilos per capita per year, compared to 20.2 kilos per capita per year in 2019.

The MAPA Surfaces and Productions shows, as of November 2020, the potato growing area in Spain totals 67,300 hectares with 2.1 million tons of production. 

Spanish exports until November 2020 totaled 263,785 tons, which means 8 percent less than in the same period of 2019 for a value of 95.8 million euros, which is 35 percent less, according to FEPEX.

In the same period, imports accumulated 795,763 tons (-5 percent) for a value of 243.5 million euros (-18 percent).

source: fepex

photo: howdeniberia