Kartoffeln Cockpit, 09.11.2018

At the World Youth Forum in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm-al-Sheik, Sisi talked about world politics this week. It was about issues such as the reconstruction of Syria and religious tolerance. However, what interested people was the high potato prices. You got the answer from Sisi: "Do you want to build a worthy state, or do you want to take care of potatoes?" Earlier, he announced that there would be no salary increases in Egypt this year, even though government spending has risen. In fact, over the past two weeks, prices for potatoes have gone from six Egyptian pounds to 14 pounds per kilogram. That's just under 60 Euro cents. In the Egyptian media and on the street is currently spoken of a potato crisis. The remarks of Sisi thus hit the nerve of the people. Which, in turn, has the huge problem of limiting its spending and planning to finance poor food. There is a lot of criticism in social media. Others make fun of themselves. In a fun poll, whether they were for potatoes or for a worthy state, 89% of respondents said they would choose potatoes.Others say that it really is not an alternative, one could choose between potatoes and rice, but not for potatoes and against his state. This humor, however, addresses a very serious problem that is prevalent in Egypt and North Africa. Attempts to raise food prices and limit poor food supplies in 2011 led to uprisings and subsequent overthrow of the Mubarak government. In 2014, Sisi also had to block roads to limit protests against food shortages and high prices. Now reforms are needed again to keep a 12 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. There will be painful cuts for all Egyptians. Since the 1960s, food aid in Egypt has not been touched. Egypt's potatoes have long since been heavily sought after by buyers from the European Union. From the winter harvest, which begins in late November, will probably arrive here only a little, because it brings only small yields due to high daytime temperatures. Drought also prevails in Israel and Cyprus.Egypt's own market also needs a lot, but 28% of the Egyptian population live below the poverty line and depend on cheap food. In addition, Egypt needs foreign exchange and has to export as much as possible. If Europe wants something later in the season, then seed potatoes must be delivered. However, seed potatoes are scarce and expensive; special grades for the production of processing raw material. Some varieties are even considered sold out and promised quantities are cut by the suppliers. That the potato harvest in continental northwestern Europe is 20% smaller, as the cultivation association NEPG announced in its press release yesterday, is not even the whole truth. The quality causes considerable problems in Belgium and northeastern France. Glassy potatoes must be sorted out with great effort, so that these lots are even worth processing. One tries to save what can be saved. The worst batches are now primarily processed and durable storage potatoes must therefore be processed later. However, the mere figures do not say anything about the distribution of potatoes in the EU. The AMI indicates an unfavorable distribution.In the strongholds of processing potatoes are the most sought-after, there are also the largest durability problems. The BOGK does not consider the supply of good quality goods until the end of the new season to be secure.