Spain: Potato season on the brink of collapse due to ruinous prices

The final stretch of the potato campaign in Campo de Cartagena is facing a critical situation, according to farmer Santiago Pérez. Low prices and the influx of production from the north of the country are some of the factors marking the beginning of the end for the Cartagena potato season.

For farmers, the current selling price, which ranges between 10 and 15 cents per kilo, is insufficient to cover costs; the minimum price for this would be between 30 and 36 cents per kilo. Southern Spain has also been affected; the region’s main competitor, Seville, has also been unable to reach the market this season. The large production in northern Spain and European countries like France has created a market that is impossible to compete with.

It’s an expensive crop: in the last four years, a hectare has gone from costing €8,000 to around €12,000. This leaves farmers with great uncertainty, who are considering reducing their acreage or looking for other crops. Continuing to grow potatoes would be suicidal, Santiago Pérez points out.

Biostimulating the soil with microorganisms reduces the use of fertilizers

Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) have demonstrated that applying biostimulants with microorganisms to potato crops reduces the use of mineral fertilizers without affecting yield. The trials, conducted at the institution’s experimental farm and published in the journal Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture, also show that this technique reduces the incidence of disease, improves soil health, and reduces nutrient leaching into aquifers, a key aspect in Campo de Cartagena due to its connection to the Mar Menor.

Researchers emphasize that treatment with biostimulants maintains production, increases the commercial value of the harvest, and reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 40%, while improving microbial biodiversity and suppressing pathogens. The research, part of the European Soildiver Agro project and developed in conjunction with Asaja and Fyneco, offers a sustainable and viable alternative for the sector, especially in semi-arid areas, where it also seeks to promote a quality seal for early potatoes from Campo de Cartagena.