The total area of potatoes in the four North-West European countries (Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands) is expected to increase on average by 2% in 2022 to reach 507,300 hectares (+10,100 hectares).
The North Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) reports the following figures: +3.2% in Belgium (92,558 hectares), +1.5% in Germany (185,800 hectares), +2% in France (156,162 hectares), and +2% in the Netherlands (72,816 hectares).
According to NEPG, some starch producers (in DE, FR and NL) and some fresh market potato growers (in DE and FR), are switching their production to more chipping and crisping potatoes.
NEPG reports that new crop, be it earlies (mainly in Germany and Belgium) or maincrop are growing fast and usually developing well. Earlies are between 1 to 2 weeks earlier than usual (with tuber counts which are for the most part lower than usual), and in some second earlies first signs of senescence (certainly where less rain fell and higher temperatures recorded) are seen.
Source: NEPG. Full press release here (includes detailed production figures)
