Spain: "In Europe, there are two years’ worth of potatoes."

Pessimism is the prevailing sentiment among Salamanca farmers regarding potatoes. They are barely starting to harvest, waiting for demand, and while it seemed, and the Castilla y León Potato Association itself, predicted that as of last week there would be less competition in the market, the reality is that high European production is dashing price hopes. Julián Palomero, one of the main warehouse owners in Salamanca, is not surprised because "Europe has enough potatoes for two years," and highlights the high production, which is coupled with a 15% increase in hectares. He describes the Salamanca campaign as "very slow" and cites his own case as an example: "We started harvesting on July 17 and have yielded less than in other years in eight days: we’ve already been harvesting for 20 days on some farms."

Farmers are waiting, in part because many have no other choice, as the potatoes were planted very late and are not yet in suitable condition. This is the case, for example, of José Antonio Alonso, from Encinas de Arriba, whose potatoes are still green and whose harvest is expected to begin in mid-September. "It’s bad and it could get worse," he warns.

There are discrepancies regarding quality, with farmers believing it to be good, and Julián Palomero himself noting that "many" will have a difficult exit due to a sowing "that wasn’t done properly." The Aranpino cooperative, the main producer in the area, has limited experience in this regard because it began harvesting last Thursday, but for now, sources within this group maintain that the potatoes are adequate in size and without health problems.

As for prices, as in other years, the agria variety is holding up, but there are difficulties in selling other white varieties. As for the red varieties, there is demand, but from Portugal. There is confidence that the market will become more active there starting next week, although the price remains unknown, as well as whether they will opt to buy white varieties. "We harvest what the market demands," notes Manuel Aires, one of the farmers who best knows this sector.

The agricultural organization ASAJA Salamanca is considering holding protests due to the critical situation facing the potato sector this year and the fear that part of the production will ultimately remain in the ground due to a lack of prices.