Gembloux, Belgium - Most potato farmers across the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG) zone had a lot of luck during October and beginning of November to finish harvesting. Even though, some of the harvesting was done in very difficult and expensive conditions.
Some of the harvested crop, be it because of quality issues during the summer or bad harvesting conditions, stored only for a few days or weeks, and then had to be evacuated.
But overall quality is good, with high enough Under Water Weights and lengths. During destocking, higher tara (greens, rots, etc.) have nevertheless to be taken into account.
2024 yields (43,8 t/ha) are 0,6 t/ha under the 5 years average (44,4 t/ha) as well as the average yield of last year (44,4 t/ha). Range yields throughout the NEPG zone were very different, going from less than 20 t/ha to up to more than 70 t/ha. This mainly is a function of planting dates.
The total EU-04 hectareage expanded by 37.700 ha (+7,2 percent) and the total production rose by 6,9 percent to 24,6 million tons (+ 1,6 million tons). At the same time, processors needs are also higher.
Higher Production Costs In Field And Storages
Overall 2024 production costs where higher than in 2023. On average, these costs have gone up by a minimum of 1.000 €/ha. In many cases it was very much higher. Certainly in cases with a lot of additional costs concerning seed handling (cutting, chitting, drying and cooling before planting) and/or with more expensive control of late blight in field.
Potatoes storage this season will also be more expensive, not even talking of higher building and machinery costs now and in the near future.
Potato Farmers Face Multiple New Or More Difficult Issues
With extremely high late blight pressure, the need to use two or more compounds per spray (due to resistant and/or new late blight strains), the loss of some active matters, the very difficult and prolonged planting and harvesting season, emergence of new problems (i.e. edible nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus and Stolbur, a phytoplasm ) in different growing regions, growers face ever more risks and expenses.
Seed availability, most of it in hands of the processing industry, and more difficulties to hire land on a yearly basis does not help growers either.