The nice summer weather has a negative influence on the demand for potatoes on the German market. This, states Carsten Berger of the Hamburger potato wholesaler “Carsten Berger Kartoffelhandel”. “With temperatures of around 40 degrees the is demand low,” says the wholesaler. Prices, especially for new potatoes are high, explains Berger. “Prices for new produce is relatively high while the older products have sold out.” The reason for the high price is the cold weather in Germanyuntil a few weeks ago, according to him.“Many potato plants had a bad start due to the long cold period, especially with temperatures below 10 degrees at night. Just a few potatoes have grown per plant. Compared to other years we have fewer potatoes, thus the prices are slightly more stable.”
The potato wholesaler does not import potatoes anymore: “We only deal in German products at the moment.” He gets his potatoes through his extensive network of suppliers and farmers all over Germany. “Our early potatoes come from Lower Saxony, the Burgdorfer area and from the Palatinate. At the moment following varieties Leyla, Linda, Annabelle, Cilena and Berber.”
The wholesaler, which mainly supplies supermarkets and street markets with his potatoes, doesn’t expect any improvement in the trade in the coming weeks. Berger says: “On the whole the market won’t improve in the next few weeks. If the summer weather stays and you keep in mind that the holidays season starts soon, then the supply will increase and the demand will drop.” The surplus of potatoes will have a negative influence on the price.
Despite these prospects the potato wholesaler from Hamburg is not afraid. He knows: “The Baltic Sea and North Sea improve the trade in Hamburg. “Because of the holidays, business at hotels and restaurants is booming. The guests have to eat too.” Carsten Berger’s potatoes land on the plates of tourists via the greengrocers and markets. “Those sales are already increasing and so far it has always helped us through the holiday season.”
Carsten Berger
Carsten Berger Kartoffelhandel
Phone: +49 (0)40 337340
berger-kartoffeln@t-online.de
www.berger-kartoffeln.de
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