France: Record potato harvest, but low prices worry producers

For Marie Gautier, potato producer(New window), the year’s harvest looks good. Despite this, concern persists because, even though she is under contract with a manufacturer, the price of potatoes has never been so low. "It worries me because I see big players, big operators who are capable, in the middle of the campaign, of going back on their commitments. And that is a global problem for the industry ," she fears. 

In one year, the price of potatoes has dropped from 150 euros per ton to barely 15 euros. This price collapse can be explained in part by very high production. As a result, some major players, such as Mousseline, have decided to revise their producers’ contracts downwards under pressure from major retailers.

“It’s a balance to find”

"In a number of countries, we’re already getting calls, to be polite, from our distributor friends, saying: ’This is the price of potatoes. Right now, it’s between 10 and 15 euros per ton. It was 600 euros per ton in June 2024. Gentlemen of Mousseline, what are you doing to respond to that?’ It’s a balance that we also have to find ," explains Philippe Fardel, CEO of Mousseline. 

This year in France, potato production is on the rise and could reach 8.5 million tonnes, a level not seen in 10 years according to the industry union.