>Polish potato producers significantly reduced planted areas
Following last year’s potato overproduction in Europe, which severely impacted prices, Polish farmers have decreased the acreage dedicated to this crop from 210 thousand hectares to 185 thousand hectares, a reduction of approximately 12%.
This information is reported by FreshPlaza.
Lukasz Ostrowicz, a board member of the Polish potato packer Bugaj, noted that after last year’s harvest of 6.8 million tonnes, a 15% increase from the previous year, the market faced a surplus of produce. According to him, this overproduction coincided with a record harvest across the European Union, totaling 55.7 million tonnes.
“This year, due to the reduced area, we anticipate significantly lower production volumes. However, I want to emphasize that there is no harvest data yet; we only have estimates based on the planted areas. The final outcome will depend on the yield, which is still developing,” emphasized Lukasz Ostrowicz.
He further added that the excess supply from the previous season drove purchasing prices down to a level that did not cover production costs. Consequently, with a reduced supply, the market is expected to be tighter, and farmers, after an unprofitable year, will not sell their produce below cost price.
Additionally, fluctuating weather conditions have negatively affected the plants. Following heatwaves reaching 40°C at the turn of June and July, a period of cooler temperatures with abundant rainfall occurred, leading to expectations of increased issues with product quality. The final volumes and quality of potatoes intended for long-term storage will become clear after the harvest concludes in October and November.
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