The Ministry of Agriculture is carrying out a promotional campaign to support Spanish new potatoes. The Coordinator of Agricultural and Livestock Organizations (COAG) has provided some data that illustrate the poor performance of early potatoes, which are grown in Mediterranean regions in winter or early spring, depending on the weather in each area, and are harvested between April and June. Prices[Read More…]
Trade/Markets/Prices
The ‘foreign’ impact on South Africa’s potato industry
Be it the economic repercussions of the recent wave of xenophobic violence sweeping the country; the import tariff war waged against European markets; or the effects of foreign viruses on domestic crop yield, it is clear that the market environment of South Africa’s potato industry is currently bound by a single common denominator: that of the ‘foreign’. The local industry[Read More…]
Australia: Potato growers still harvesting due to flat market
In sheds across Thorpdale, in Victoria’s South Gippsland, potatoes are starting to spoil. The produce was harvested and packed weeks ago but cannot be sold. The market is so flat that farmers, who have spent tens of thousands of dollars growing and harvesting these vegetables, now cannot sell them. Grower Des Jennings said some potatoes would be fed to livestock.[Read More…]
Alaska: Export program spared from budget cuts
For growers in the Kenai Peninsula’s developing agriculture industries, exporting internationally is still an option. A Division of Agriculture inspector position that issues phytosanitary certifications, or phytos, which are required by some importing countries, has been restored indefinitely, after it was on the table during this year’s budget cut discussions. “I put it forward because we had to make cuts,” said Division of[Read More…]
NAPMN: Global french fry trade surges
The global french fry trade grew 12.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the North American Potato Market News (NAPMN). It reports major exporters shipped 1.46 billion pounds of french fries and other frozen potato products to countries outside of their local trade zones during the January-March quarter.[Read More…]
US: Clarification – Potato cartel-settlement story
In a story June 19, The Associated Press reported that a federal judge signed off on a $25 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit between Associated Wholesale Grocers, United Potato Growers of America and United Potato Growers of Idaho. AP issued a release today, stating that the story should have included that Associated Wholesale Grocers is still pursuing a separate[Read More…]
‘Import of potatoes from the Mediterranean just not worth it’ – German trader
The availability of German new potatoes is steadily increasing. John Ioannidis, who is responsible for the import and export at Johann Koch, a family business for over 100 years, says: “For the farmers the current season is better than the last, the demand is good and keeps on growing.” The prices are satisfactory too, according to the Koch company from Neuburg[Read More…]
Yield significantly higher for EU’s biggest potato producing countries
The 2014 crop year is slowly coming to an end with an EU-5 yield of 28.6 million tonnes – over 4 million tonnes more than the previous year – due to extended acreage combined with optimal weather conditions. These North West European countries include the UK, Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands. A lack of demand for the exportation of fresh[Read More…]
HZPC pays almost five percent above forecasted price
The low European ware potato prices, which clearly stayed behind compared to previous years, influenced the seed potato prices for Crop 2014. This effect is partly compensated by the sales oversea, which ran again successfully. HZPC has set the standard with its forecasted price this year, and with the present final growers price, this standard is even slightly exceeded. The[Read More…]
Global overview of potato markets and trends
Potatoes are grown and consumed all over the world. In the next few weeks, the season in the northern hemisphere will reach its peak. Northern Europe and North America are coming into full production. The forecasts in Europe are cautiously optimistic. In the US, more volume is in storage than last year. Around the Mediterranean, the seasons for the first[Read More…]
US: Potato growers agree to settle class-action antitrust lawsuit from grocers for $25 million
A federal judge has signed off on a $25 million settlement in a lawsuit between wholesale grocers and potato farming associations accused of forming a price-fixing cartel. Associated Wholesale Grocers filed the class-action lawsuit in 2010, contending that potato growers in Idaho and elsewhere conspired to raise prices by restricting the number of acres planted and taking other steps to limit[Read More…]
Poland: Potato exports halved in first quarter
Exports of Polish potatoes fell about 50 percent year on year in the first quarter of the year. In the first quarter of 2015 Polish potato exports were only 6,000 metric tons, down from 12,100 tons in the analogous period of 2014, according to a report by the Agriculture and Livestock Economics
Australia: Pursuing Asia for spud exports
South Australia will actively pursue the Asian market for export of its crisping and seed potatoes. Outcomes from a Potatoes South Australia in-market supply chain analysis into the market potential in Malaysian and Thailand were delivered at an event in Adelaide earlier this month. The industry body received $35,000 through the SA Department of State Development in addition to $10,000 committed by[Read More…]
US: Foreign markets want American produce, says Oregon potato producer
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., got a crash course in potato growing and production Monday morning with a visit to Amstad Produce in Sherwood, Oregon in an effort to see how the business would benefit with more overseas markets. During her Sherwood visit, Bonamici talked to Amstad Produce’s Jeff Urbach, co-owner and president, and Jim Cramer, director of sales and marketing,[Read More…]
US potato producers eye Southeast Asia
Oregon potato-promoter Jim Cramer recently returned from what he called a “potato mission trip” to Vietnam. He and a handful of Pacific Northwest producer-packers and government officials attended a food trade show in Ho Chi Minh City in April. They hired a local celebrity chef, Dieu Thao, to write a potato-based recipe book, and she prepared some of her dishes live[Read More…]
Ministers disagree over Turkey’s skyrocketing potato prices
Ministers disagree over what to do to decrease Turkey’s skyrocketing potato prices, with Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci signaling a possible license for potato imports and Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker saying such moves will harm local producers. Food prices have been rising in Turkey, despite the decline in global prices. Food inflation rose to 14 percent in April, while world prices saw[Read More…]
Brown rot disease mars export prospects of Indian potatoes
With the Russian phytosanitary services cracking down on potatoes from Egypt, it could have been a blessing in disguise for Indian exporters had it not for the brown bacterial rot disease. Early April, while the quarantine phytosanitary control of two potato consignments weighing 57 tonnes imported from India was on, the bacterial rot (Ralstonia solanacearum Yabuuchi) was noticed. According to information available[Read More…]
Turkey may turn to Iran to solve potato misery
Following Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci’s announcement that certain food products may be imported in light of high domestic prices, speculation has arisen that Turkey may soon begin to purchase cheaper potatoes from its neighbor Iran. Potatoes costing 50 kuruş per kilo could be exported from Iran and sold in Turkish markets for TL 1.50, according to speculation. Meanwhile, potato prices have[Read More…]
Egyptians may visit North Dakota this summer to inspect seed potato fields
The Egyptian government is requesting a visit to the U.S. this year to approve expanded access for seed potatoes from all U.S. states. Egypt approved California as a seed potato export state following a visit by Egyptian authorities to the state last fall. Egyptian authorities have now informed USDA-APHIS that they are willing to approve other seed producing states pending[Read More…]
Germany: New potato sales picking up speed
The new potato trade in the German wholesale markets is slowly picking up speed. This is evident from the newsletter KW 17/15 from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (BLE). Imported new potatoes from Italy increased the available range of new potatoes, which in previous weeks was still quite small. The new potatoes from Cyprus and Morocco increased too. New[Read More…]
South Australian potatoes for Malaysian and Thailand markets
The recently released outcomes from an in-market Supply Chain Analysis of Malaysia and Thailand demonstrate the potential for the development of a collaborative export marketing model for the South Australian potato industry. The state is the nation’s largest producer, with farm gate production worth more than $206 million.
UK: Supporting potato trade with the Canaries
Each year, large quantities of GB ware and seed are exported to the Canary Islands. Potato Council’s head of seed and export, Rob Burns, updates on the current difficulties affecting this long established trade agreement. “While no one knows the exact date of the potato’s arrival Europe, its entry point was probably Spain’s Canary Islands, where traditional potato cuisine plays[Read More…]
Aussie spuds on South Korean menus
South Korea could help provide Australian potato growers with some relief from domestic cost pressures via a potentially lucrative growth market for exports. According to an analysis of a recent industry discussion paper featured in the latest edition of Potatoes Australia magazine, nearly 90 per cent of Australia’s vegetable exports to South Korea are potatoes. More
Scotland: Humble potato offers no easy fixes for farmers
Scottish seed potato exports are booming, with the latest figures indicating that 2014/15 has been a record breaking season. Scotland only grows 25 per cent of the total GB potato crop, but produces 75 per cent of GB seed and exports a total of 300,000 tonnes annually to more than 25 countries outside of the UK. While Scotland’s seed producers[Read More…]
Ireland: Growers urged to cut potato acreage
Potato growers should reduce their potato planting areas to some degree in 2015, given the poor prices that have been available over the past two seasons, according to Teagasc’s Dr Denis Griffin. “Last year saw an oversupply of potatoes coming onto the market right across Europe, with prices falling accordingly,” he said. “We continue to see a decline in potato[Read More…]
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