Netherlands: Processors Handle 269,300 t of Potatoes in August; 12-Month Volume Falls to 3.58 Mt
Key takeaways
- 269,300 t of potatoes processed by Dutch plants in August
- 46.8% of August raw material came from imported potatoes
- 3.58 Mt processed in 12 months, down from 3.87 Mt year ago
- 60.5% processing yield in August, highest in ten years
Why it matters
- For farmers
- Check storage quality now and talk to buyers early: processors ran on old crop in August and now need new-crop and imported potatoes.
- For processors
- Plan September–October intake with a high import share in mind; secure new-crop volumes before stored 2025 potatoes run out.
- For traders
- Track demand from Dutch plants for imported raw material; almost half of the August supply came from abroad, mainly early German lots.
60-second summary
Dutch fries plants got through the summer on last year's stored crop, yet their annual throughput is clearly shrinking. VAVI data show 269,300 tonnes handled in August 2026, close to the 268,200 tonnes of August 2025 and 23,000 tonnes under July. Nearly half of that raw material, some 126,000 tonnes, was bought abroad, largely early lots from southern Germany, against a 38.2% share in July. Over twelve months to August the industry used 3.58 million tonnes, roughly 290,000 tonnes less than in the prior period. For growers and traders this signals firm demand for raw material as plants move to the new crop, which is small across north-west Europe. The trade outlet Boerenbusiness adds a record 60.5% processing yield and notes that some plants still mixed old and new crop half and half in mid-September. One caveat: the two outlets disagree on whether the import share is above or in line with last year.
Dutch potato processors handled 269,300 tonnes of potatoes in August 2026. The figures come from VAVI, the Dutch association of the potato processing industry. Volume fell by 23,000 tonnes compared with July. Such a summer dip is normal for the sector.
The August result was almost flat year on year. In August 2025, processors handled 268,200 tonnes. At that time, the trade press called it the lowest August volume in a decade.
Imports cover almost half of the raw material
Imported potatoes made up 46.8% of the August volume. This equals about 126,000 tonnes. In July 2026, the import share was only 38.2%. Early-season supply relies heavily on early varieties from southern Germany.
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Output in August included 140,700 tonnes of fries. Other potato products added 22,100 tonnes. Monthly volume was 4% below the five-year average for August of 280,940 tonnes, according to Boerenbusiness.
Twelve-month volume keeps shrinking
From September 2025 to August 2026, processors handled 3.58 million tonnes. In the previous twelve months, the total was 3.87 million tonnes. That is a drop of about 290,000 tonnes, or 7.5%.
Processing yield reached 60.5% in August, according to Boerenbusiness. The outlet calls it the highest figure in ten years. This was unexpected at the end of the old-crop season. Quality of stored potatoes remained good.
Processors kept lines running mainly with stored potatoes from the 2025 crop. They postponed part of the early-season contract deliveries. They also avoided long maintenance stops. Industry sources say some plants still ran a 50/50 mix of old and new crop in mid-September.
Why it matters
The 2026 harvest in north-west Europe is small. Old-crop stocks gave processors a buffer in August. That buffer is now running out. From September, plants depend on the new crop and on imports.
A high import share and a shrinking annual volume show pressure on raw material. Growers with potatoes sold outside contracts may find stronger demand. Processors will watch storage quality and new-crop yields closely in the coming weeks.
Photo: A potato processing plant in Kensington, Prince Edward Island, Canada (not the Netherlands) (illustrative). Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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What next
From September, plants switch to the new crop and imports as old stocks run out. Some plants still used a 50/50 mix of old and new crop in mid-September. The size and storage quality of the new crop remain the key unknowns.
Sources
- Nieuwe Oogst (данные VAVI) — https://www.nieuweoogst.nl/nieuws/2026/09/22/aardappelverwerkers-doen-stapje-terug-in-augustus
- Boerenbusiness — https://www.boerenbusiness.nl/artikel/10917039/oude-aardappelen-redden-nederlandse-verwerking
- Nieuwe Oogst, июль 2026 (данные VAVI) — https://www.nieuweoogst.nl/nieuws/2026/08/21/aardappelverwerking-trekt-aan-importaandeel-daalt-verder
- Boerderij, август 2025 (данные VAVI) — https://www.boerderij.nl/fritesfabrieken-voeren-productie-weer-op
Linked in this material
- Country
- Netherlands
- Companies
- VAVI; Boerenbusiness; Nieuwe Oogst
- Sections
- EuropeNewsProcessing
