Southern Spain braced for sharp fall in new potato production after unseasonal weather

Drought, a recent hot spell and damage caused by frosts last winter have led to a significant reduction in this season’s early new potato crop in southern Spain, as Maura Maxwell reports for Eurofruit.

As harvesting gets underway in the provinces of Seville, Córdoba and Cádiz, estimates point to a fall of 25-35 per cent compared to last season.

The Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruit and Vegetables of Andalusia (Asociafruit), whose members account for more than 90 per cent of the region’s potato exports, said the fall was in spite of planted area remaining broadly similar to last year.

“The current situation of drought and the restrictions that are applied to irrigation are going to affect productivity on the farms, reducing the kilos per hectare, and generating a second problem, a significant lack of calibre,” Asociafruit said.

Source: Eurofruit. Read the full story here
Image: Potato News Today