Europe: How are potato crops doing in the EU?

Potato planting progress in Europe is uneven, with rapid advances in some countries and significant delays in others, depending primarily on weather and soil moisture conditions, according to the European Commission’s Crop Status Bulletin (MARS Bulletin).

In Germany and the Netherlands, field work began early and is progressing well thanks to favorable conditions since late February. In France and Poland, the campaign also started somewhat early due to the drought in March, which facilitated field operations.

However, the lack of rainfall that has persisted since mid-February is beginning to cause concern in countries such as Poland, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Although this lack of rain allowed for a good start, there are now fears that it could compromise crop emergence and initial development due to the lack of soil moisture.

In contrast, in southern Europe, countries like Spain and Portugal are experiencing excessive rainfall, which has hampered planting efforts. The persistent rains are causing significant delays, especially in areas where the season is traditionally more advanced at this time.

In Romania, planting began as planned, but low temperatures temporarily halted the work. Furthermore, frost in early April could have negatively affected the already emerged seedlings.

Despite specific difficulties, increases in planted area compared to the previous season have been reported in countries such as the Netherlands and Spain, suggesting positive expectations regarding the crop’s interest and commercial potential, provided the weather cooperates in the coming weeks.