The company said global potato market conditions became significantly more difficult over the past year, reversing several seasons of stronger returns. Although HZPC increased seed potato volumes and maintained grower placements, lower pricing translated into a substantial decline in both sales and profitability.

According to the company’s annual figures, revenue is expected to decline from EUR 525 million in 2024/25 to below EUR 450 million in the current year. EBITDA is forecast at approximately EUR 10 million, down from EUR 27 million a year earlier.

Despite weaker financial results, HZPC reported continued growth in physical volumes, with global seed potato sales exceeding 1.1 million tonnes.

The results come shortly after HZPC completed its acquisition of Irish seed potato specialist IPM Potato Group, strengthening its position in international potato genetics and seed markets.

Hans Huistra, CEO of HZPC, said market conditions had deteriorated following exceptionally strong harvests in the previous season.

“After a number of strong years, the global potato market is facing difficult conditions this year as a result of the excellent harvests of the previous season, combined with weakening demand,” Huistra said.

“As a consequence, prices are under pressure and it has become more challenging to find suitable destinations for all seed potatoes. Against this background, we are satisfied that we have been able to limit the impact for our seed potato growers.”

Huistra added that geographic diversification and the company’s portfolio strategy helped cushion the effect of the downturn.

“Our wide spread across regions and product groups, combined with a strong focus on new and protected varieties, has helped us achieve this.”

The figures add to wider signs of pressure across the European potato sector, where several markets have reported oversupply concerns following strong harvests and softer demand conditions. For seed suppliers, maintaining outlet flexibility and varietal differentiation is becoming increasingly important as pricing normalises after recent peak years.

The initiative, branded “Polish Potato”, comes as the country faces the combined effects of record domestic production and growing imports, particularly from neighbouring Germany, creating mounting frustration across the sector.

According to information cited by Euractiv from Poland’s agriculture ministry, average wholesale potato prices in May were down 43% year-on-year. The decline follows a year of exceptionally strong domestic output, with Poland harvesting approximately 18% more potatoes in 2025 compared with the previous year.

At the same time, imports continued to rise. Ministry figures cited by Euractiv indicate that Poland imported roughly 160,000 tonnes of potatoes in 2025, of which around 95,000 tonnes originated from Germany — an increase of 41% compared with the previous year.

Against that backdrop, the government has turned to a market-facing response centred on consumer behaviour rather than direct intervention.

The “Polish Potato” campaign promotes what officials describe as “consumer patriotism”, encouraging shoppers to choose stored domestic potatoes from the previous harvest instead of imported early-season product. Promotional materials carry the message: “Let’s choose what’s good and ours.”

The move places Poland among a growing number of European markets where agricultural pressure is increasingly being reflected in public campaigns supporting domestic consumption.

Farmer dissatisfaction has been visible for months. Potato growers previously protested imported product outside the agriculture ministry, and criticism of German imports has become more vocal as market conditions deteriorated.

One representative of the agricultural branch of the Solidarność trade union, quoted by Euractiv, argued on social media that German imports were undermining the domestic market.

For potato sector participants, the development highlights a broader challenge emerging across Europe: balancing free movement of agricultural goods within the single market against periods of local oversupply and sharp price volatility.

While imported volumes have become a focal point of public debate in Poland, the market pressure appears to stem from both increased external supply and a substantial expansion in domestic production.

Held from May 7 to 13 on the fully booked Messe Düsseldorf exhibition grounds, the trade fair brought together 2,804 exhibitors from 65 countries and trade visitors from 161 countries. According to Messe Düsseldorf, 75% of visitors came from outside Germany, including 28% from outside Europe. Around 100 additional companies were represented at components, the supplier trade fair held in parallel.

The organiser said the 2026 edition underlined interpack’s role as a central platform for the industry, with high visitor traffic, intensive discussions and strong international participation across the halls.

“That was a top interpack. Busy halls, intensive exchange and concrete projects showed the strength of this global community. interpack is the most important meeting place for the industry worldwide, and this edition impressively confirmed that,” said Thomas Dohse, Director of interpack, at the close of the trade fair.

The event took place as packaging and processing companies face rising demand for packaged products while adapting to changing requirements for materials, production systems and supply structures. Messe Düsseldorf said the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation was one of the key topics at the show, reflecting its impact on packaging design, material selection and operational planning.

A central theme across the exhibition was the growing connection between materials, machinery and processes. Exhibitors presented solutions in which equipment, packaging formats and production systems are increasingly developed as integrated systems rather than isolated technologies.

Automation, data-based applications and flexible plant concepts were prominent throughout the halls, reflecting the industry’s shift toward smart manufacturing in practical industrial settings. Material innovation was also a major focus, with exhibitors presenting solutions designed to meet regulatory requirements and operate under real production conditions.

Beyond the exhibition stands, interpack 2026 included several specialist formats addressing wider industry themes. These included the interpack Spotlight Forum, SAVE FOOD Expert Talks, Women in Packaging, the Start-up Zone and Young Talents Day. The organiser said these formats reflected the breadth of the industry’s transformation, covering sustainability, technology, diversity, start-up culture, qualification and future skills.

Messe Düsseldorf said many discussions during the seven-day event focused on concrete projects, partnerships and investment decisions, reinforcing the fair’s commercial role for the global packaging and processing sector.

The next interpack will take place in 2029, with the date to be announced.

According to Euronews, potato contracts for difference (CFDs) rose from approximately €2.11 per 100kg on 21 April to around €18.50 by early May — a roughly 705% increase. However, the outlet reported that these gains are unfolding against a backdrop of significant oversupply in Europe’s physical potato market, where expanded planting across major producing countries including Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany, combined with favourable weather, has resulted in exceptionally large harvests.

The report said this production surplus has left processors and exporters struggling to absorb available volumes, sharply depressing farmgate prices. In some lower-grade segments, potatoes destined for feed or industrial channels have reportedly traded at extremely low or even negative values, with growers sometimes paying disposal or transport costs simply to clear stock.

The cited €18.50 benchmark, according to the outlet, primarily reflects “free-buy” potatoes traded on the open market rather than volumes already protected by fixed-price contracts between growers and processors. Even at these elevated financial levels, many producers reportedly still view returns as economically unsustainable given rising input costs for fertiliser, fuel, electricity and storage.

The publication emphasised that the dramatic divergence between financial benchmarks and physical pricing illustrates how commodity markets can respond aggressively to perceived future risks rather than present supply realities. In this case, volatility appears closely linked to concerns over the Iran conflict’s impact on fertiliser availability, logistics and future agricultural production economics.

According to the report, the war has disrupted exports of key agricultural inputs and intensified broader food security concerns. The outlet cited UN estimates suggesting that roughly one-third of global fertiliser trade — including urea, potash, ammonia and phosphates — normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint now affected by regional instability.

For potato producers, whose crop economics are heavily dependent on nutrient-intensive fertilisation, this disruption raises concerns over future planting costs and yield potential. The report indicated that traders are repricing potato futures contracts based less on today’s oversupply and more on anticipated medium-term supply risks associated with fertiliser shortages and shipping disruption.

While current consumer potato prices in Europe are not yet seeing a comparable surge, the outlet suggested that the sharp movement in potato-linked CFDs reflects broader market anxiety over how conflict-driven fertiliser constraints and logistics bottlenecks could reshape agricultural economics in coming seasons.

The development underscores a widening disconnect between agricultural commodity derivatives and farm-level fundamentals — a dynamic that may become increasingly important for growers, processors and buyers navigating volatile input markets during a period of geopolitical instability.

The event will cover the potato value chain from breeding to processing, with trial fields, live machinery demonstrations, DLG Spotlights and expert presentations forming the core of the technical programme. Running alongside the exhibition will be SugarBeet Expo, a specialist trade fair dedicated to field technology and current trends in sugar beet cultivation.

Organizers said the event will provide an international meeting place for potato professionals from Germany and abroad, with companies active in breeding, crop protection, digitalization, agricultural machinery and processing expected to present new developments and production-oriented solutions. Demonstration plots will showcase new varieties as well as the effects of crop protection products and fertilizers.

Live machinery demonstrations will be staged under field conditions, covering planting, harvesting, loading and crop protection technologies. Case IH has been named as technology partner for the live demonstrations.

The DLG Spotlight “Agricultural Logistics” will address the role of transport in potato and sugar beet production. The feature will include tractors, specialized trailers, scraper floor systems, conveyor belts, potato boxes, cover systems and logistics software, alongside information on legal and economic aspects. Martin Vaupel of the Chamber of Agriculture Lower Saxony will be available to answer visitor questions.

A second DLG Spotlight, FarmRobotix, will focus on robotics, automation and artificial intelligence in crop production. Presented by DKE Data and DLG, the feature will include live demonstrations, practical guidance and expert discussions on autonomous machinery and digital systems in agriculture.

The DLG Expert Stage, located at stand VG15 in the trial field, will host presentations and discussions on potato and sugar beet topics between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The programme will address both crop-specific and cross-crop issues.

Exhibitor registration remains open for PotatoEurope and SugarBeet Expo, with participation options available in the trial fields, machinery demonstrations, open-air exhibition area and exhibition tents.

PotatoEurope 2026 is initiated by the Union of the German Potato Industry, UNIKA. The regional partner is Golden Geest Kartoffeln Erzeugergesellschaft mbH, together with the State of Lower Saxony.

The strategy reflects a targeted move toward a customer base increasingly under pressure to improve back-of-house productivity while managing labor shortages, menu complexity, and preparation consistency. By presenting multiple cutting, slicing, and drying technologies within a foodservice context, Urschel is aligning itself with operators seeking integrated preparation systems rather than standalone equipment.

At the center of the exhibit is the Little Gem Aspire Dicer, a new Urschel cutting concept designed for fruit and vegetable processing. Engineered with a small footprint and low total cost of ownership, the machine produces slices from 2 mm to 20 mm, along with strips and dices up to 20 mm. Its compact design and space efficiency indicate clear relevance for foodservice operations where production capacity must often coexist with tighter kitchen or prep-area constraints.

The Sprint 2 Dicer adds a continuous production element, offering uninterrupted 2- or 3-dimensional cutting with configurable outputs including dices, strips, and granulations. Urschel’s decision to demonstrate the machine with a crinkle cut setup also suggests an emphasis on menu versatility and presentation, factors particularly relevant for restaurant and prepared-food operators.

Through KRONEN’s GS 10-2 Slicer and KS-100 PLUS Centrifuge / Dryer, Urschel broadens the proposition from cutting alone to a more complete prep workflow. The GS 10-2’s multifunctionality across slicing, dicing, shredding, and grating, combined with sanitary design and compact footprint, supports foodservice businesses balancing throughput with hygiene and space constraints. Meanwhile, the KS-100 PLUS addresses post-wash efficiency by reducing draining times and supporting integration into larger prep lines, an operational advantage for businesses processing fresh produce at scale.

This broader exhibit strategy suggests Urschel is not simply marketing machinery, but targeting a larger share of foodservice capital investment by framing its portfolio around productivity, process control, and operational standardization.

For a company historically associated with high-capacity industrial food cutting, the National Restaurant Association Show provides access to a wider ecosystem of restaurant chains, institutional foodservice providers, and hospitality operators. That positioning may prove increasingly important as suppliers seek growth in sectors where automation, labor substitution, and prep consistency are becoming strategic purchasing drivers.

By tailoring its message around “improv[ing] restaurant operations with efficient, precision cutting at high-capacity production,” Urschel is effectively using the event as a business development channel to diversify market exposure and strengthen its relevance in the evolving foodservice equipment landscape.

The Edmonton-based company said The Little Potato Company Food Service Solutions will provide added resources, visibility and expertise for the foodservice channel, supporting operators that are dealing with labor pressure, rising costs and demand for consistent fresh ingredients.

The division will initially focus on limited-service and full-service restaurants, retail and hospitality, with additional emphasis on healthcare, education and other institutional segments over time.

“Our focus is on creating confidence for food operators, we make it easier for operators to deliver great food, every time,” said Sanford Gleddie, EVP, Sales, Marketing and Business Development at The Little Potato Company. “Foodservice customers operators can count on consistency with Little Potatoes; reliable quality with uniform sizing, easy prep that works for all skill levels, a versatile product that works across the entire menu and year-round supply of potatoes grown by family farms across North America.”

The company’s foodservice portfolio includes fresh Little Potatoes in larger pack sizes, including 4 x 10 lb bags, 25 lb cases and 50 lb cases. Varieties include Little Yellows, Little Reds, Little Trios, Little Purely Purples and Little Fingerlings. The portfolio also includes sous-vide products available exclusively through foodservice.

According to the company, the products are designed to help operators reduce preparation time, streamline kitchen operations and maintain consistency across menus and dayparts. The potatoes require no peeling, are uniform in size and are intended to cook consistently. Sous-vide options can be ready in as little as two minutes and require no specialized skills or training.

The Little Potato Company said the offering is intended to help operators manage food cost and waste while supporting consistent flavor and presentation.

The company currently distributes its foodservice products through Sysco, Gordon Food Service and Restaurant Depot, with further expansion underway. It is also developing an integrated platform with digital resources, product information and culinary inspiration tailored to operator needs.

The IFA said improved weather conditions through late April have allowed planting to progress in most growing regions, although earlier delays mean the season cannot be considered early. The report added that production costs remain a central concern, with energy volatility continuing to influence fertiliser, transport and storage expenses.

Across Europe, the IFA reported largely unchanged market conditions, with destocking of free-buy potatoes remaining a key priority. In Belgium, the industry is seeking to clear surplus stocks through channels including food banks and public waste companies. Similar pressures are affecting the Netherlands, where the report noted that Plant Health regulations must be strictly followed during stock management.

In the U.K., the IFA said cold weather has continued to restrict crop growth, while increasingly dry conditions are now becoming a concern in many production areas.

The grant is specifically targeted at one of the U.S. potato sector’s most commercially significant unresolved trade barriers: Japan’s continued restrictions on fresh U.S. “table stock” potatoes, despite allowing imports of U.S. chipping potatoes since 2006.

“We thank the President and Secretary Rollins for this funding, a clear sign of their commitment to opening Japan to $150 million in new U.S. potato exports,” said Brett Jensen, NPC vice president of trade affairs and an Idaho grower, in the council’s statement. “By pairing USDA resources with our own industry expertise, we can maintain the high-level diplomatic and technical engagement required to finally achieve this long-sought market access for fresh table stock potatoes.”

Why Japan Matters

Japan is regarded by U.S. potato growers as one of the most strategically valuable fresh export opportunities outside North America because of its high purchasing power, established potato consumption, and premium market environment. NPC has repeatedly argued that full fresh access could generate approximately USD 150 million in annual exports, making Japan potentially the largest fresh potato export destination for U.S. growers beyond neighboring markets.

The significance lies not only in market size but also in precedent. Japan’s 2006 decision to open its market to U.S. potatoes for chip processing demonstrated that bilateral phytosanitary agreements are possible, but fresh market access has remained stalled amid Japanese concerns over pests, sprout inhibition protocols, and other technical barriers.

How The Funding Will Be Used

According to NPC and USDA-linked reports, the TASC funding will finance a specialized market access expert—reportedly involved in the 2006 chipping potato breakthrough—while supporting technical collaboration with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Japanese regulatory questions. The program also covers annual bilateral plant health meetings and possible Japanese site visits to U.S. farms intended to verify commercial growing practices.

This reflects TASC’s broader mission: helping U.S. specialty crop industries overcome sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers rather than directly subsidizing exports.

Part Of A Broader USDA Export Toolkit

The potato grant was one of 33 awards announced by USDA this year under three separate export development mechanisms:

• Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC)
• Emerging Markets Program (EMP)
• Quality Samples Program (QSP)

Together, these programs are designed to reduce technical barriers, expand market access, and build long-term demand for U.S. agricultural exports.

Not A New Fight—But A Long Campaign

NPC’s Japan strategy predates this latest grant by decades. The council has repeatedly lobbied successive U.S. administrations and Congress to prioritize Japan’s fresh potato restrictions, including a March 2026 bipartisan congressional push ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s U.S. visit. NPC has stated that Japan has delayed substantive progress on the issue for over 30 years.

Industry Stakes

For U.S. potato growers facing margin pressure, rising input costs, and broader trade uncertainty, Japan represents more than another export destination—it is viewed as a major untapped premium market whose opening could materially strengthen sector economics.

The new USDA award therefore marks less a standalone funding event than a continuation of one of the potato industry’s longest-running market-access campaigns, combining technical diplomacy, phytosanitary negotiation, and trade strategy in pursuit of a commercially significant breakthrough.

While the legislation spans the broader agricultural economy, the FRIDGE Act’s focus on refrigeration, logistics infrastructure, and export readiness could be particularly relevant for U.S. producers of frozen potato products, including French fries, hash browns, and other temperature-sensitive processed categories that depend on reliable cold storage and transportation systems to reach international buyers.

According to the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), the FRIDGE Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service to work with trade organizations to provide needs assessments, technical assistance, and infrastructure support designed to improve cold chain systems and port logistics in emerging and developing markets.

For the potato industry, this could help address a longstanding commercial barrier: limited refrigerated infrastructure in growth markets that may otherwise struggle to import and distribute frozen potato products efficiently. Expanded cold chain systems could improve market access for U.S. processors targeting regions where quick-service restaurant expansion, urbanization, and rising demand for convenience foods are increasing consumption potential.

The frozen potato segment is particularly dependent on uninterrupted temperature control across storage, shipping, and retail channels. Inadequate cold chain systems can constrain exports not because of product demand, but because of logistical limitations that increase spoilage risk, reduce shelf life, or raise landed costs.

“Given current uncertainties with tariffs and trade agreements, developing new markets for U.S. products is extremely important,” said Sara Stickler, President and CEO of GCCA. “One of the biggest barriers to increasing trade in emerging food markets is the lack of cold chain capacity.”

For potato processors, the policy could indirectly support broader export diversification strategies at a time when global trade volatility, regional tariff shifts, and supply chain disruptions continue to shape international sales planning. Improved cold infrastructure may also support greater penetration of value-added potato categories beyond traditional mature markets.

Although the legislation does not specifically target potatoes, the inclusion of export-oriented refrigeration investment highlights the growing strategic importance of logistics infrastructure in agricultural competitiveness. For processors operating in frozen and chilled categories, future demand growth may increasingly depend not only on production capacity, but on whether destination markets can reliably receive, store, and distribute finished products.

The bill now moves to the Senate, where GCCA is urging swift action. If adopted, the FRIDGE Act could represent a broader structural opportunity for U.S. potato processors seeking to expand into markets where infrastructure constraints have historically limited growth.

For the potato processing sector, the development underscores how trade policy, cold chain investment, and export logistics are becoming increasingly interconnected in shaping long-term market access.