Northwest European potato production expected to increase by 13,5%; quality good

La France Agricole reports that the quantity and quality of the Northwest European potato crop is expected to be good this year. According to NEPG, the Northwest European Potato Growers’ Group, the potato harvest in 2017 would be about 27.9 million tonnes. That translates into an increase of 11.5% compared to the five-year average, and 13.5% compared to last year’s total harvest. This is the result of an increase in planted areas in the five Northwest European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Great Britain). The average yield is estimated at 48.2 t / ha, 2.9% above the five-year average. Quality is expected to be good, despite weather difficulties at the beginning of the cropping season in most countries. Only a few quality related problems are reported at this stage with certain varieties such as Bintje. The dry matter content in the Netherlands is apparently generally low, but that is not the case in France. The NEPG notes that the total demand for processing potatoes has increased by 1.5 million tonnes since 2014, while processed products to countries outside of the EU steadily increased during recent months. (Full report published in French by La France Agricole)