The ongoing harvest is continuing to produce good yields, meaning that the market is still more than adequately supplied with ware potatoes. As a result of the high supply, wholesale prices continued to fall this week. Against this backdrop, growers are urgently advised to pay particular attention to quality assurance during storage. In view of the large harvest volumes, it can be assumed that there will also be a high level of market availability in the winter months - with correspondingly high quality requirements. Only flawless, storable batches are likely to be able to survive on the market.
Surplus or low-quality goods are already increasingly being sold directly from the field for animal feed or in biogas plants. This trend is particularly evident in batches that do not meet the requirements of the food retail trade or the processing industry. Supra-regional sales opportunities or export activities also remain limited at present, as above-average yields are also expected in large parts of Europe. Accordingly, the European domestic market is largely covered.
There is still no sign of any easing in the industrial goods sector. The processing industry is currently concentrating exclusively on purchasing goods under contract. There are currently hardly any sales opportunities for free industrial potatoes, which is putting additional pressure on producers.
A wide range of table potatoes was offered on the regional markets, consisting of numerous varieties. Domestic produce clearly dominated supply, while imports from France and the Netherlands supplemented the picture in certain areas. Despite the end of the vacation season and the resulting upturn in demand - for example in Hamburg - the massive flood of supply prevented price increases. On the contrary, prices in Frankfurt and Berlin continued to fall. Prices also trended downwards in Munich. The valuation of many lots fell to an exceptionally low level, which in some regions is close to an economically critical point.
The REKA quotation for ware potatoes remained unchanged this week, which is often interpreted by the market as a sign that a temporary price floor may have been reached. However, it remains to be seen whether this can actually be stabilized under the ongoing supply pressure.
There are still no signs of price or structural changes on the industrial market. Processors' intake capacities are limited and there is no sign of a resumption of interest in free goods for the time being.
ZMP Live Expert Opinion
The potato market remains significantly oversupplied. A price recovery is not in sight in the short term. The decisive factor for medium-term stabilization will be whether sales channels can be secured through targeted marketing, precise sorting and quality-oriented storage. For producers, the focus in the coming weeks will be on consistent quality assurance during storage.
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