Over the last two weeks, most of Northern Europe has received 10 to 40 mm of rain. Buyers are much more relaxed now that there is less concern about early potato crop development. Factory tubers’ processing output is still at full capacity.
This week, European potato growers were more willing to offer free buys, and prices have leveled off after reaching a year high last week.
“In the UK sales of early crops are described as ‘slightly disappointing’ to date and irrigation continues in many areas,” IFA’s potato experts explained.
For Ireland, the market demand remains just about on par with 2019 levels before the pandemic hit, the commencement of school holidays could negatively impact this.
“Liftings of the earliest varieties continue this week; however, it will be a few weeks before the first lifting of queens takes place in the southeast. Stocks of premium quality packing material are tightening as we head into June. Growers who are storing crop continue to be hammered by storage costs,” the IFA’s analysts concluded.
