Spain (La Rioja Alta): Potato production affected by heat and hail in areas of La Rioja Alta
In other places such as Calahorra, the crop has better prospects, although the delay in sowing due to the rains was also affected.
The potato campaign in La Rioja Alta began in mid-August with the earliest varieties that don’t require storage and are sent to the fried and frozen industries, as well as those destined for the fresh market, according to the Rioja government’s agricultural statistics service. The latter slowed down due to low demand.
Initially, prices were set at €257 per ton for industrial fried produce without preservation and €180 per ton for frozen produce, both white and red. Fresh produce began at €23 per kilo, received by farmers, according to the agricultural bulletin. In the second week of September, it was reported that the campaign was continuing at a slow pace in anticipation of a longer-than-usual harvest.
23 cents
The farmer receives €25.70 per kilo for fresh potatoes; €25.70 for fried potatoes without preservation; and €18 for frozen potatoes (red and white), according to the Agricultural Service.
The aforementioned publication confirmed yesterday that favorable weather conditions allow for the production and storage of this product under appropriate temperature and humidity conditions until it is marketed in the coming months.
In Calahorra, Francisco Gutiérrez has been growing red-skinned potatoes since 2010. He uses his produce for processing. If the year goes well, he plants between February and March, but in 2025, the harvest was delayed until April due to rain. Despite this inconvenience, he rates the harvest as good. He has 20 hectares, began harvesting on September 1, and has lasted three weeks. Now he plants broccoli on the same land to increase its profitability.
Everything is irrigated, and the potato harvest is generally mechanical. Today, few farmers still do so manually, mainly for personal consumption or retail sale.
While the outlook is good in Lower Rioja, the situation is different elsewhere, such as Zarratón in Upper Rioja. Gregorio López grows fresh potatoes and comments that the campaign is at a standstill due to lack of demand. He explains that high temperatures have caused tuber size to shrink. In addition to the planting delay, hail has also affected the fields in this area. He still has 70% of the crop to harvest, and laments that profitability has been reduced. Gregorio was with him yesterday, with Victor Manso, who grows potatoes for processing, and so far he has only harvested between 20 and 25% of the crop.
Fuente: argenpapa.com.ar/noticia/16497-
