The French potato market has experienced a significant price hike at the onset of 2024, fueled by a scarcity of supply and consistent demand from regular clientele, reports Antoine Geysels, director of Top’Pom, a leading French potato grower and trader.
Geysels notes that the surge in prices on the fresh French potato market has been particularly pronounced, attributing it to the limited availability of potatoes and sustained demand from established customers. While January saw heightened activity in exports, with stocks rapidly depleting across production regions, shipments tapered off in February. However, overall export volumes for the season surpass those of the previous year at the same period.
Italy and Spain continue to dominate as key importers of French potatoes, with Italy exhibiting robust demand and Spain maintaining its position as the primary destination for French potato exports. Geysels emphasizes the need for French operators to adapt to the evolving market landscape, especially with the influx of new potatoes from Egypt and Israel, offering alternatives to French produce and posing challenges to maintaining competitiveness in the export market.
Looking ahead, concerns loom over the shortage of seedlings for the upcoming season, a critical factor for sustaining the potato sector’s balance. Geysels underscores the importance of addressing this issue, as a decline in seedling production coupled with technical challenges poses risks to farm productivity and exacerbates supply constraints for European packers and manufacturers. Amid these challenges, stakeholders remain hopeful that adequate measures will be implemented to meet demand and safeguard the industry’s resilience in the seasons to come.
