2023 Campaign Reflects Strong Recovery Despite Erratic Conditions
The 2023 ware potato production campaign in France has demonstrated remarkable resilience and recovery, despite facing frequently erratic weather conditions throughout the growing season. An increase in ware potato areas by 2.3% in June set the stage for a year marked by challenges and eventual successes.
Following the severe climate shock experienced during the 2022 harvest, the 2023 season benefited from mild and humid conditions during the summer months, which helped mitigate initial delays in the growing process. However, the uprooting process proved to be extremely difficult, leaving some tubers still un-uprooted in the Hauts-de-France basins as of January 11th, 2024.
Based on a survey conducted using the Union Nationale des Producteurs de Pommes de Terre (UNPT) panel of producers and data from Agreste for the unstudied basins, the national gross yield for 2023 was recorded at 43.3 tons per hectare. This marks a significant recovery, bringing yield levels close to the ten-year norm. In total, France produced 6.81 million tons of ware potatoes in 2023, a 12.7% increase from the previous year.
UNPT experts noted, “If it finds a level more in line with the historical potential of the France farm, it is part of a context of increased demand, particularly for industrial outlets, and announces a campaign where all potatoes will count again until the end of the campaign. Note that the yields surveyed within the panel are very heterogeneous depending on geographic sectors, varieties, and outlets.”
This variability in yields across different regions and varieties highlights the complexity and adaptability required in modern potato farming. The increased demand for industrial uses underscores the importance of maximizing output and ensuring that every potato harvested contributes to meeting market needs.
