Castilla y León has begun the early potato harvest

Castilla y León (Spain), responsible for 40% of national potato production, has begun harvesting early potatoes, especially the Colomba variety. This campaign has a slight delay of five to six days due to the rains and low temperatures in the spring that postponed sowing.

 

Although the quality and health of the first potatoes is good, yields are expected to be 15-20% lower than those of previous campaigns, according to a local farmer. This decline especially affects early varieties such as Corina and Colomba, despite the fact that we are coming from a season of overproduction, points out Eva Castro, from Patatas Meléndez.

 

Demand in the market is high, but the vegetative cycle of many potatoes has not yet been completed. "The potatoes are not of the right sizes yet," explains the farmer. "Hopefully the prices will be favorable for farmers and guarantee good profitability," she adds.

Potato cultivation has proven to be profitable in recent campaigns, leading to a 2% increase in the cultivated area in 2024, reaching 17,290 hectares. Despite the challenges in yield, the first crops show normal sizes and good health quality, without major effects from diseases such as mildew, despite the adverse weather conditions.

 

Faced with a shortage of seeds, Castilla y León is diversifying potato varieties. These new varieties, although already tested in southern Spain, are new to the region and their performance will be analyzed.