The availability of seed potatoes in 2024 is becoming increasingly challenging. The seed potato area in the five most major producing nations of the EU (the Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium) has fallen by 7% since 2022.

The overall area declined by 10,000 hectares in three years, reaching around 84,200 ha last year. All seed potato breeds are impacted.

“In general, seed potato production in 2023 was characterized by an average yield, but quite coarse size (few tubers per plant). Furthermore, there was strong virus pressure at the start of cultivation, which led to many downgrades during certification. Several hundred hectares could not be harvested due to the wet weather, mainly in the Netherlands,” recent Belpotato intel reveals.

Despite increased demand, particularly for chip and potato chip-suitable seed varieties, these variables led to a poor supply for planting in 2024. As a result, seed potatoes are priced extremely expensive, irrespective of the industry (fresh markets, crisps, or french fries) and the commercial setting (whether or not they are connected to a potato purchase contract).

“The temptation will therefore be great for producers of potatoes for consumption (processing or fresh markets) to supplement their traditional supplies with other sources,” the experts mentioned.

In this context, in the interest of the entire sector, it is useful to call for growers compliance with all applicable rules and standards:
– farm-seed potatoes are strictly regulated in different countries and are strictly reserved for self-supply. In Belgium, it must be declared to the FASFC before production. In the case of circulating seed potatoes (i.e. produced, stored, or used outside the area of the agricultural holding’s municipality and neighboring municipalities), the operator must apply for recognition from the FASFC for the issuance of plant passports and various phytosanitary analyses must be carried out.

The requirements regarding farm seed potatoes are set out here:
– it is prohibited to recover undersized potatoes for consumption from the previous harvest;
– users will probably ask for an early delivery of the seed potatoes, for fear of a shortage or having to cut. As soon as the seed potatoes are delivered, the responsibility for professional storage passes to the recipient;
– the cutting of seed potatoes will take place on a large scale this year. If this is not done correctly, there is a good chance that fungal, viral, or bacterial diseases will spread quickly and widely, and in particular quarantine diseases.

“Recalibrating and cutting seed potatoes is always at the user’s own risk and expense. Following the current regulations for the marketing of seed potatoes, all cut seed potatoes automatically lose their status as certified seed potatoes and all associated guarantees. The responsibilities of seed potato producers then de facto disappear. Once the decision has been made to cut, the farmer may only plant seed potatoes that have been cut by himself or by a contractor appointed by him for this purpose, and under the responsibility of the client,” Belpotato experts explained.

The FASFC requirements regarding cutting seed potatoes are explained here:
– cutting must be done under good practices (see www.vegaplan.be). If it is carried out by a contractor, he must be registered with the FASFC. He must also be certified with Vegaplan as a contractor.

In the current context, Belpotato.be would like to emphasize the following points users of seed potatoes should focus on:
– assess the quality of the delivered plants as soon as you receive them. Use the practical manual developed by Belpotato.be, based on user-friendly checklists and photographic scales. The goal is to detect problems as early as possible and thus reduce the consequences for everyone involved to limit parties;
– store and manage the seed potatoes by the technical guidelines recommendations published by Belpotato.be;
– to prevent cross-contamination, do not store the seed potatoes in a room that is used to store potatoes or grains for storage;
– ensure full traceability at your company if the seed potatoes come from different sources.

“The challenges associated with the difficult supply of seed potatoes for the 2024 cultivation are enormous for every link in the sector. In addition to the extra costs, the yield and quality of ware potato production are also at stake. Moreover, it is in the interest of the entire sector to stabilize the declining seed potato area in the EU,” Belpotato experts concluded.