Netherlands: PotatoNL Fries-Potato Quotation Holds at €21–27.50 per 100 kg Despite Heavier Harvest Supply
The PotatoNL quotation for fries potatoes eased by only €0.50 to €21–27.50 per 100 kg as harvest supply grew. Fontane is coming in unusually small, while Innovator yields disappoint.
The Dutch PotatoNL quotation for fries potatoes held largely steady in the third week of September despite growing harvest supply, according to Nieuwe Oogst. The quotation for fries potatoes moved to €21–27.50 per 100 kg, down €0.50.
By variety, Fontane was quoted at €21–24 per 100 kg, down €1. Innovator, Markies and Zorba were quoted at €25–27.50. Fries varieties traded on the free market were listed at €22–32, on average €1 lower. Old-crop potatoes were quoted at €10–13 per 100 kg.
Uneven harvest
According to Nieuwe Oogst, Fontane is coming in unusually fine-sized this year because of remarkably high tuber numbers per plant, which reduces the share of long fries-grade tubers. Innovator yields are disappointing even on irrigated fields.
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The processor Aviko’s agro market update for week 38 gives a similar picture. It lists fries-suitable potatoes from the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium at €22.00–27.50 per 100 kg and Innovator at €25–27.50. It also reports that the Reka quotation for Innovator above 35 mm rose from €26.50 to €27.50. The lower end of Aviko’s range (€22) differs slightly from the PotatoNL figure (€21).
Context
Harvest supply normally puts pressure on free-market prices in September. This year, processors in Belgium and the Netherlands are short of raw material after a drought-reduced crop and are still processing a large share of old-crop and imported potatoes. Dutch exports of potatoes to Belgium rose 38% in July–August, according to Boerenbusiness.
Why it matters
The PotatoNL quotation is the reference price for free-market fries potatoes in north-west Europe. A price that barely moves in the middle of harvest suggests buyers expect supply to stay tight. For growers, the variety split matters: large-tubered Innovator-type potatoes hold their value, while fine-sized Fontane is at a discount. Growers deciding whether to sell from the field or store should weigh this gap against storage costs and the risk of quality losses.
Photo: Potato harvester at Kortgene, the Netherlands (illustrative). Rasbak / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
