Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 37 INTERNATIONAL NEWS Drought and rise in production costs push up potato prices, fears of shortages DROUGHT has considerably a ected sizes, which are mainly small. This, together with the high increase of producing, handling and packing costs has led potato prices to skyrocket and reach historical levels. Both the fresh and processed industry are highly worried for this winter, as there could be a shortage, taking into account that France expects a much lower harvest as well. Prices could continue to grow. Sensitive increase in prices in the Great Wholesale Market of Lima The evaluation of the 2021/2022 agricultural campaign shows that tuber sowings totalled 339,581 hectares, increasing by 3.5% compared to the average sowings of the last five campaigns. According to Midagri data, potato production had already grown by 2.8% in 2021, having totalled 5,668,898 tons for a 3.4% increase in yields, up to 17.1 tons per hectare. In 2022, the accumulated production from January to July totalled 4,816,703 tons, that is, 7.6% more than that registered in the same period of 2021 owing to the increase in the harvested area, as well as an increase in yields 3.7%. In addition, during that period “there have been no major problems in the agroclimatic conditions that may have a ected the crops. This increased production has also been noted in the volumes of potatoes that have entered the Great Wholesale Market of Lima, with a total from January to August 2022 of 450,430 tons, which represents 4.6% more in relation to the same period of the previous year. However, despite the higher volumes, inflation is leaving a deep mark on the wholesale prices. Agreement to aid growers and agrifood companies THE heads of the African Green Revolution Alliance (AGRA) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) recently signed a new five-year cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening linkages between smallholder growers and African agri-food companies, emphasising better access to finance and technical skills for SMEs involved in the agri-food sector. Joint e orts are being made to strengthen nutritious food systems thinking in the African agriculture and Agri food landscape. This includes work on the development of food system metrics which will help governments and development partners plan to improve access to and availability of nutritious foods. Lower yields cause high prices DROUGHT has led to significantly lower potato yields in Belgium this season. While 2018 was a bad year for yield, this year’s crop is even lower. The current price level became so high that it was tempting for growers with free potatoes to part with them early, catch a good price and keep storage costs at zero. Prices have continued to fluctuate between 25 and 30. Potato prices dropping LIMPOPO Province is supplying 69% of South Africa’s potatoes at the moment and a fifth is still coming from the Western Free State. This season potato hectares have significantly increased and supplies to the market have been very high, leading to an oversupply. Since the start of the year, Limpopo has sold 1.3 million bags more than its five-year average.