2024: Higher Costs and a Challenging Harvest for the NEPG Zone Potato Growers
Most potato growers in the NEPG zone had good luck finishing harvesting in October and early November 2024. Even if part of the harvesting was done under extremely challenging 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 underwater weights and lengths. During destocking, higher tara (green potatoes, rot-infected) have nevertheless to be taken into account,” the latest NEPG report reveals.
In comparison to the average yield of last year (44,4 t/ha) and the previous five-year average (44,4 t/ha), this year’s yields (43,8 t/ha) are 0.6 t/ha lower. Range yields varied greatly within the NEPG zone, ranging from less than 20 t/ha to over 70 t/ha. This is mostly due to planting timing. The overall production increased by 6.9% to 24,6 million tons (+1.6 million tons), while the total EU-04 hectareage increased by 37.700 ha (+7.2%). Additionally, there is a greater demand for processors.
The total cost of production in 2024 was greater than that of 2023. These expenses have increased by at least EUR1.000/ha on average. It was far higher in several instances. Definitely in situations where processing seeds (cutting, chitting, drying, and cooling before planting) entails significant additional expenditures, and/or where field-based late blight treatment is more costly. Not to mention the increased cost of buildings and equipment both now and shortly, the cost of storing potatoes this season will also be greater.
Growers face increasing risks and expenses due to the extremely high pressure of downey mildew, the need to use two or more compounds per spray (because of resistant and/or new strains), the loss of some active ingredients, the difficult and prolonged planting and harvesting season, and the emergence of new problems (such as yellow nutsedge – Cyperus esculentus, and Stolbur phytoplasma) in various growing regions.
“Seed availability, most of it in the hands of the processing industry, and more difficulties to hire land every year do not help growers either,” the NEPG representatives concluded.
