Europe: Uncertainty for the Northwest European potato campaign

The 2024 potato campaign for producers in the  NEPG region  (Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany) has been difficult. It has been marked by great uncertainty due to what appears to be a trend observed in recent years: rising seed prices. This, combined with rains during the planting season and summer, caused planting to be extended by ten weeks, mainly in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Harvest and prices

The 2024 potato harvest in the NEPG zone amounted to 24.7 million tons, 6.9% more than the 2023 harvest. The crop area reached approximately 560,000 hectares, 37,000 hectares more than the previous season. 

Producer prices rose from €12.50/100 kg in October-November 2024 to €30/100 kg in early February 2025, according to the Association of Potato Producers of Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium (NEPG).

The price increase since the beginning of January has been quite surprising. The assessment of stocks in the coming months, as well as the timing and conditions of planting, will be of key importance for prices this season.

Production costs

The trend of recent years is worrying. Yields continue to decline, resulting in higher production costs per hectare. Contract prices are stable, but production costs continue to rise. However, seedlings are generally cheaper than last spring. 

Export

The overall situation is one of an uncertain global market and significant challenges for potato exports. The European sector is influenced by the increased risks and costs associated with the decisions of the United States president. Furthermore, the expansion of potato exports from China and India and the tightening of environmental restrictions in the European Union are of concern to the sector. According to the NEPG, "European potato producers should be aware of the growth of other players in potato exports, such as China, India, and Japan." Furthermore, the NEPG states that frozen potato exports from the European Union "could be affected by future decisions of the new US president," due to the tariff measures being considered by Donald Trump. 

Challenges

Meanwhile, climate change, tightening European regulations, the availability of pesticides, the increase in soil-related problems (nematodes, wireworms, nutsedge, etc.), the development of diseases such as stolbur, as well as problems and legislation relating to nitrates in groundwater, "make potatoes technically and economically more difficult to produce and financially more risky," explains the NEPG.

If we add to all this the great uncertainty surrounding open market prices and sales of processed products for the upcoming campaign, the difficulty and concern facing European producers becomes evident. 

With increasing acreage devoted to potatoes and an uncertain export market, "producers need to be aware that they are taking risks when increasing their potato acreage," says the NEPG.