France: Supermarket Potato Prices Still Below Last Year Despite a Drought-Hit Harvest, Industry Bulletin Shows
Key takeaways
- 1.66 euros per kg for boiling potatoes in August, -5.7%
- 1.50 euros per kg for oven potatoes, the only group up 5.6%
- 200 euros/t for Belgian Fontane and Challenger in week 39
- 287 French supermarkets were checked in the August survey
Why it matters
- For farmers
- Do not expect a quick fresh-market price gain: August shop prices were still below last year despite lower yields.
- For processors
- Use the Belgian and Dutch prices of €200-240/t as a reference when you buy potatoes outside contracts this autumn.
- For traders
- Watch the September and October shop price data: they will show whether the smaller harvest reaches consumers.
60-second summary
French supermarket potato prices in August 2026 were still close to or below last year, despite the drought-hit harvest, according to the week 39 price bulletin of the French potato interbranch organisation CNIPT. The survey covers packs of 2 to 3 kg without organic products, in 287 shops against 231 a year earlier. Potatoes for boiling, steaming and sautéing cost €1.66/kg against €1.76 (-5.7%). Oven potatoes cost €1.50/kg against €1.42 (+5.6%). Potatoes for home-made fries cost €1.47/kg against €1.49 (-1.3%). In neighbouring markets, Belgian Fontane and Challenger reached €200/t in week 39, Dutch Fontane stood at €210-240/t and Dutch export potatoes at €220-280/t. The German fresh market in the Rhineland was €300/t in week 38. The national producer price index for farm products was 5.4% lower than a year earlier. Shop prices refer to August, before most of the new crop was harvested, so the effect of the shortfall may appear in the coming months.
The drought has cut the French potato harvest. Supermarket prices, however, have not risen yet. This is shown by the weekly price bulletin of the French potato interbranch organisation (cnipt.fr), published for week 39.
The bulletin compares average consumer prices in supermarkets in August 2026 with August 2025. It covers packs of 2 to 3 kilograms, without organic products. The survey covered 287 shops in August 2026, against 231 shops a year earlier.
Potatoes for boiling, steaming and sautéing cost €1.66 per kilogram. A year earlier they cost €1.76. The change is minus 5.7%.
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Potatoes for the oven cost €1.50 per kilogram, against €1.42. This is the only group with a higher price: plus 5.6%.
Potatoes for processing into French fries at home cost €1.47 per kilogram, against €1.49. The change is minus 1.3%.
The bulletin also gives prices in neighbouring countries in euros per tonne. In Belgium, the price for two varieties reached €200 per tonne in week 39: Fontane and Challenger. In the Netherlands, the price for the variety Fontane was €210–240 per tonne. The price for export potatoes in the Netherlands was €220–280 per tonne.
In Germany, the fresh market price in the Rhineland was €300 per tonne in week 38.
The bulletin also shows a fall of 5.4% over one year in the national index of producer prices for agricultural products, from INSEE.
The shop prices refer to August. Most of the new crop was harvested in late August and September. The effect of the smaller harvest may appear in the shop prices of the coming months.
Why it matters
French potato yields are expected at a 30-year low. Yet shop prices in August were still close to or below last year. For growers, this means the price gain on the fresh market may come late and remain small. For retailers and packers, the next monthly figures will show whether the shortfall reaches consumers.
Our report on the 30-year low in French potato yields was published on 23 September.
Photo: Small potatoes for sale at a market in France (illustrative). Renhour48 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
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What next
Shop prices refer to August, before most of the new crop was harvested. The next monthly data will show whether the smaller harvest raises consumer prices.
Sources
- CNIPT, Les cotations et indices du marché pomme de terre, semaine 39/2026 (PDF) — https://www.cnipt.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CNIPT-cotations-2026-semaine-39-v-en-ligne.pdf
- The bulletin cites INSEE, RNM, SNCPT brokers, PotatoNL, Fiwap/Viaverda and REKA.
- One official source.
Linked in this material
- Country
- France
- Companies
- CNIPT; INSEE
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