Potatoes news, 07/31/2020

Nothing has changed so far about the late start of the season for processed potatoes. The fries and chips factories still process outdated contract goods. Production only starts for the special programs with early types of fast food. The German peeling companies are gradually changing over to the new harvest. The extensive range means that there is no excess demand. There is still very little demand for free processed potatoes. No major positive impulses are expected for the coming week either. The first clearings of early processed potatoes were recently cleared in Belgium. However, since the frit manufacturers currently only purchase contract goods, it is difficult for the producers to market the free goods, so that the first listing was at a very low level. France has had to contend with drought damage in the main growing area in the northeast in recent weeks. The yields are only good for the irrigated crops; the situation is different for the open areas. Here the tuber approach is significantly worse.The processing factories in France are still struggling with the corona effects and cannot yet return to pre-crisis levels.

The market for early potatoes is still very balanced. The quantities offered are increasing particularly in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, but marketing is proceeding quickly with little concessions from producers. In the southwest, too, the harvest is well advanced almost everywhere. The qualities have stabilized so far that larger quantities of shell-firm tubers can be packaged for food retailing. With the later varieties, the weather conditions for the development of the potatoes still seem to be optimal. Moderate temperatures and light rainfall continue to increase the earnings prospects.