Spain’s FEPEX potato committee foresees, for the 2021 campaign, a decrease in the planted surface between 5% and 10% for the early variety, grown mainly in Andalusia and Murcia, and 20% for the mid-season or late variety, cultivated especially in the center and north of the peninsula, according to the estimates presented at a meeting in which the situation of the potato sector was analyzed.

The head of the potato sector at Asociafruit, Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producing and Exporting Companies of Andalusia and Extremadura, Marcos Román, reported that, in Andalusia, the main autonomous community producing early potatoes, registered a decrease of between 5% and 10% compared to 2020. This crop will begin to be harvested from the end of April to June. Later, the harvesting of the mid-season or late potato campaign begins, which is grown mainly in the central area of ​​the country, especially Castilla y León. For this variety, the Committee foresees a decrease of the planted surface of 20%, while in the Basque Country the surface will remain similar to the previous year, according to Alfonso Saénz de Chamber, who is also chairman of the FEPEX Committee.

In relation to the 2020 campaign, it was found that, as a result of COVID-19, the potato destined for supermarkets has been marketed well and registered growth compared to 2019 while the product directed to the foodservice channel has been affected by the closures of bars and hospitality. On the other hand, the growth trend of bulk consumption has staggered, increasing the demand for packaged potatoes.

The consumption of fresh potatoes in households up to November 2020 grew by 16% compared to the same months of the previous year, totaling 891.4 million kilos, with a value of EUR885m, with a growth also of 16%. Per capita consumption in 2020 has been 23.7 kilos per person per year, compared to 20.2 kilos per person per year in 2019.

The potato acreage in Spain, according to the MAPA Surfaces and Productions Preview as of November 2020, is 67,300 hectares with a production of 2.1 million tons. Spanish exports until November 2020 stood at 263,785 tons, 8% less than in the same period of 2019 for a value of EUR95.8m, 35% less, according to data from the General Directorate of Customs, processed by FEPEX. In the same period, imports rose to 795,763 tons (-5%) for a value of EUR243.5m (-18%).

The FEPEX Potato Committee has been chaired by Alfonso Sáenz de Cámara since December 2019, and is made up of the National Association of Production and Trade of Fruits and Potatoes, ASONAL, the Association of Producing and Exporting Companies of Fruits and Vegetables of Andalusia and Extremadura, ASOCIAFRUIT, the Iberian Club of Potato Professionals, CIPP, the Association of Origin Operators of Potatoes of Castilla y León, ASOPOCYL, and the Association of Seed Potato Producers of Spain, APPSE.