Heavy Rainfall Hits Spanish Potato Crop, Boosts Demand for Belgian Exports
Relentless rainfall across Spain is severely impacting its early potato season, creating a ripple effect across the European potato market. In Seville alone, heavy and sustained rains through March and early April have flooded fields and triggered outbreaks of mildew, raising concerns about crop quality and potential yield losses.
“This level of rainfall hasn’t been seen since 1996, when the Guadalquivir River overflowed,” said José Peláez, Manager of Sevillana de Patatas, a leading early potato producer. Although flooding has only affected a portion of Seville’s farmland, the more significant threat lies in mildew proliferation. Persistent humidity has limited growers’ ability to treat fields—many now resort to drone-assisted applications to control disease spread.
“There’s still about a month to go,” Peláez added. “I’m hopeful that some of the fields can still be saved, but the earliest potatoes will certainly be affected.”
The outlook is similarly grim in other regions: in Cartagena and Valladolid, planting has been delayed significantly. As of early April, just 5% of the northern Spanish crop had been planted—far short of the 50% target for this point in the season.
This disruption is already affecting European market dynamics. According to Jurgen Duthoo of Belgian company Warnez, export volumes of Belgian ware potatoes to Southern and Eastern Europe are on the rise, filling the expected gap in Spanish supply.
“The market has stabilised again,” Duthoo noted. “There was a price correction in February and March, mostly tied to the processing industry. But now, with Spain and Portugal facing severe delays and damage, prices are firming up.”
Adding to the complexity, political concerns are prompting some European retailers to avoid Israeli potato imports, further increasing reliance on Spain—which may not be able to meet demand this season.
Meanwhile, broader geopolitical and trade uncertainties continue to affect the processing sector. European fry exports to the U.S. face potential tariffs amid the current U.S. political climate, while competition grows from Egypt and China in the frozen segment. “The European processing industry is nervous,” Duthoo said. “We may be losing market share, and the EU could be prompted to respond.”
For now, Belgian exporters are benefitting from the situation, with stabilized prices and growing demand. Whether the Spanish crop can recover in the coming month remains uncertain—but what’s clear is that the European potato market is entering a period of heightened volatility.
