As plantings for the 2021 potato crop in North-western Europe is wrapping up, the NEPG reports that the final planted potato area within the NEPG region will most likely be reduced by 3% to 5%. The so-called EU-4 countries include the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany.

NEPG says this is an absolutely historical event – the last time the planted area went down was in 2014, while the total area has usually gone up year after year for the past two decades. The industry body further says that its repeated calls to growers since last summer to lower their planted area, and the difficult situation on the free buy market since the 2020 harvest, have been headed by growers.

Processors expect an increase in demand in the coming weeks and months – on the NEPG market, but also for shipment to other European countries and for export outside the Union.

Growers are confident about the future market, since the cold weather at the beginning of April has helped to keep most stocks in good shape (not as much sprouting as feared at the end of the winter). Free buy volumes of available stock are also lower than in recent years.

Most growers are aware that their potato business is fragile and uncertain, the NEPG says. On the one hand, production costs have gone up during the last two seasons, yields have somewhat stagnated for the last four years, while storing potatoes is more expensive and difficult.

On the other hand, potato producers and the potato sector as a whole have often been singled out in regards to water pollution, erosion and mud runoffs, as well as excessive spraying. According to the NEPG, growers expect that continued research and development will soon provide them with varieties and techniques that are better adapted to environmental constraints (blight, climate change) and societal expectations.