HZPC Holland’s seed potato growers anticipate paying EUR50.70 per 100 kg for the crop of 2023. The price of this crop is around 35% greater than the harvest price in 2022. The 2023 harvest’s yields, measured in kilograms per hectare, are much lower than those of the previous year and years prior. The ultimate cost will be disclosed at the end of June.

“A significant amount of seed potatoes have been rejected or downgraded due to diseases. These downgrades are partly caused by weather conditions and partly because fewer crop protection products are permitted to prevent diseases. Due to the low yields and the large number of top sizes, it is a challenging sales season. Buyers prefer potatoes in pot sizes. They want as few top sizes as possible. Sales prices for upper sizes are considerably lower than those for lower sizes. Nevertheless, HZPC strives to sell both the pot and top sizes as seed potatoes. This is to serve its customers,” according to a recent HZPC press release.

Martin Jansen Klomp, Benelux regional manager at HZPC, added that seed potato cultivation is risky cultivation with high costs.

“To guarantee profitable cultivation, we must charge a consistently high price. Despite the challenges of the past season, the financial return per hectare is 13% higher than the previous season. We look optimistically at the coming seed potato season,” Klomp declared.

In Northwestern Europe, the total area under seed potatoes decreased the previous year. 2024 is predicted to see another drop. For the upcoming year, the Netherlands’ seed potato growers have positive sales expectations due to the restricted availability.

Growers and HZPC have an agreed-upon structure that determines the price per variety, size, and quality; packing and storage expenses are paid separately.