EU: Potato Plantings Progressing Well but Worries of Continued Dry Weather Emerge

Potato planting within the North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) region is progressing well overall. According to the European Commission (EC) in its late April update, fieldwork is well advanced in Germany and the Netherlands, where dry conditions since late February allowed for an early start. France and Poland also benefited from favourable weather in March. An ongoing rainfall deficit has left soil moisture low in several key regions—including Poland, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands—raising concerns about crop emergence and early development. 

In contrast, the EC reported that excessive rainfall in Portugal and Spain has delayed planting. In Romania, fieldwork began on schedule but has since been interrupted by cold temperatures, with early April frost potentially affecting initial plantings. Reports also indicate an increase in planted area in both the Netherlands and Spain compared to 2024. 

Market players share the EC’s concern that persistent dry weather could impact potato growth and yield potential in the north-west later in the season. That said, it remains early in the crop cycle. With most planting now complete across the NEPG region, the industry currently expects an earlier harvest. 

Expectations of a larger crop and earlier harvest have contributed to a sharp decline in Expana Benchmark Prices (EBPs) over the past month in both the Netherlands and Belgium. The EBP for Dutch processing potatoes currently stands €140/Metric Tonnes (MT) down 36.4% month-on-month (m-o-m) and down 62.7% year-on-year (y-o-y). The EBP for Belgian Fontane potatoes stands at €90/MT, down 47.1% m-o-m and 74.3% y-o-y, reaching below €100/MT for the first time since May 2021. According to market participants, processors are largely covered through pre-negotiated contracts, resulting in limited demand for free-buy potatoes across the EU.