Kartoffeln Cockpit, 11.05.2019

Now there are hardly any old potatoes left in France. In 2018 potatoes from last year's harvest were marketed in September. So the 2019/20 season does not just start in France under completely different conditions. Buyers of potato potatoes are now turning to other suppliers. Remaining quantities that are still from France are now too expensive for them. Meanwhile, exporters from the UK are delivering more extensively to mainland Europe. Southern and Eastern Europe are the preferred destinations. Agria 55 mm + are in particular demand, but second-rate round varieties are also being launched at relatively low prices. Scavenging cargoes from Scotland cost more, but in spite of high freight costs still less than on the continent. The brisk export business is now also generating rising potato prices in the United Kingdom. As it was relatively cool there, as was the case almost everywhere in Western Europe, the early potatoes only grow slowly. But they benefit a bit from the rain, which relieves the plight of farmers for a week. The strong demand for British storage potatoes should continue for at least three weeks, according to market observers. Holland is also profiting from the increasingly clear supply gap.There, the fry factories had extensively conserved resources during the autumn and winter seasons, using multi-use varieties and importing as much as possible. Inventories are also lower in Holland than in other years around this time, but in April warehouse keepers reported surprisingly high inventories. This allows exporters to now enjoy lively exports at very high prices. Bagged goods went away this week at prices between 30 and 40 € / dt. The fry factories will probably not look at it idly for long. In addition, Holland starts very early this season with the import of new potatoes. This is also unusual for Great Britain. But it also shows just how short the stock is, or how small the initial stock starts marketing the new harvest. What is no longer suitable for processing to noble potato products or as fresh potatoes, went in the last week now in the starch factory, which also ends their season 2018/19. Fritten factories now hope that the beginning of the harvest of the new processing raw material can actually begin in the second half of June.The speculation of some commodity buyers on a steady supply of long-term storage, as it often comes at the end of the marketing season on the market, seems to be no longer to meet this season. This is also evident from the fact that Belgium's factories are again looking for free frit raw material. But this search has so far mostly been unsuccessful. Either the stock keepers have the better nerves and wait for even higher prices or there is actually no offer there. The EEX index for processed potatoes will rise to € 28.9 / dt on Thursday. That's 60 cents more than in the previous week. The increases from Belgium (+1.33 to 26.83) and France (+1.67 to 27.67) contributed to the increase, with the Bintje variety dominating the listings. In Holland, the most expensive contribution to the index from last week (31.98) to now 31.48 € / dt could not hold. The German listing remained almost unchanged at € 29.77 / dt. 06.06.2019 is the last trading day for the June 19 futures contract on the derivatives exchange in Leipzig. Contracts not yet settled will then be closed out with the index determined on that day.The June 19 contract ended today's trading day at € 31.3 / dt. The exchange participants therefore still have some imagination for rising prices.