POTATOES.NEWSGlobal potato industry intelligence11,640 stories
In early 2026, the COBORU variety registration commission approved the inclusion of four new potato varieties in the national register: two table varieties and two starch varieties. Among the table varieties, "Polka" stands out; it is an…
Belgium harvested 4.7 million tonnes of potatoes in 2025, split between Flanders and Wallonia. In 2026 Flanders cut its potato area by 23% and Wallonia by 12%.
Lower Saxony harvested 6.6 million tonnes of potatoes in 2025, about 47.5% of the German crop. Since 1961 German potato area has fallen by about 83%, while yields rose 2.5 times.
Sweden harvested a record 454,600 tonnes of starch potatoes in 2025 and 546,000 tonnes of table potatoes. The potato area grew again in 2026, to 29,080 ha.
Greece grew potatoes on about 65,000 ha in 1980 and on 10,540 ha in 2024. In 2024 it imported 254,144 tonnes of potatoes, 60% of them from Egypt.
Romania harvested 1.16 million tonnes of potatoes in 2025, down from 1.60 million tonnes in 2020. Yields stay near 15 t/ha, and the state again offers up to €300 per hectare.
The Cyprus government approved an extra 3.5 million cubic metres of irrigation water for 2026. Two million cubic metres go to autumn crops, including potatoes, after farm groups warned of risks to the winter potato season.
The PPAS consortium in Calabria expects prices for Sila PGI potatoes to rise by about 15% this season. Its director says northern European reference prices have more than tripled, from €0.12 to €0.43–0.44 per kg.
The potato area in England fell by 8.2% to 82,000 hectares in 2026, according to Defra's June survey. Early potatoes fell by 14.0%. The UK potato price index was 17.6% lower in July than a year earlier.
The Dutch potato area fell 8.4% to about 150,000 ha in 2026. Ware potatoes took the cut, while seed potatoes grew slightly to 42,100 ha and now make up 28% of the area.
Dutch inspectors say use of PFAS-containing pesticides, mainly against potato late blight, rose from 250,000 kg in 2022 to 465,000 kg in 2024. The authorisation board Ctgb is studying a ban, with findings expected in April 2027.
France now grows potatoes on about a quarter of its 1961 area, but it exports more fresh potatoes than any other country. The north holds 61% of the 2026 area.
