b"RISING COSTS EQUAL FALLING ACRESCOMING OFF OF A HARD GROWING SEASON AND WITH INCREASING PRODUCTION COSTS, EUROPEAN POTATO ACREAGE MAY FALL IN 2022.BY: ASHLEY ROBINSONI ts been a challenging few years for potatoSURGING PRODUCTION COSTS renewed growers in Europe. Between the pandemic,Potato production costs are on the rise across heat waves and floods in parts of Europe, andEurope for several reasons. The European Union rising production costs, it hasnt been easy to makechlorprophams (CIPC) usage wasnt a profit growing spuds. meaning potato growers could no longer use it The real problem this next year is going to befor sprouting control in storage starting in 2020. more about the supply of it rather than demand ofGrowers have been forced to use other sprouting it. In the beginning the pandemic it was all aboutcontrols which has increased storage costs.demand and lack of demand. Whereas now it's prob- Agricultural costs are also rising overall for ably going to be about lack of supply, Cedric Porter,farmers internationally with fertilizer costs on the editor of World Potato Markets, explains in a Zoomrise. Coupled with high land costs in Europe, and interview. rising selling prices for other commodities, many Overall, potato production in the North- growers are looking at planting other crops instead western European Potato Growers (NEPG) regionof potatoes to make larger profits.fell by 24,000 hectares to 498,000 hectares in 2020.There's a real sort of temptation to grow fewer A humid growing season and a delayed harvest ledpotatoes because you've got a much higher costs, to good to average yields, however net yields weretake less risks and get really good wheat prices.THE REAL lower due to losses in fields due to water damageRather do that than have the high risk of growing and physiological problems. potatoes, Porter explains.PROBLEM THIS This summer was cool and wet, so the pota- In Europe not as many potato acres are con- NEXT YEAR IS toes bulked more. We have more potatoes, but attracted for sale before planting as they are in NorthGOING TO BE the same time, in some regions or some countries,America. This means potato growers are taking spring was quite cold, much colder than usual, andmore of a risk growing spuds than their counter- MORE ABOUT with less sun, I think the differences between fields,parts across the pond. Porter explains as least 30THE SUPPLY OF countries, varieties are higher, Daniel Ryckmans,per cent of European potatoes annually are freeIT RATHER THAN NEPG secretary, says in a Zoom interview. market, which he expects will make growers even The variability in the growing season also ledwearier of planting extra spud acres this year. DEMAND OF IT. IN to pest and disease problems across Europe. Potatoes in Western Europe is always a com- THE BEGINNING Weve had a sort of season where there's beenbination of offer on demand, contract and free buy. quite a lot of blight around, there's been quite aAnd then for the first time in the last years, an influ- THE PANDEMIC IT lot of diseases, and quite a lot of pests. So, whatence of cereal prices, because the last year cerealWAS ALL ABOUT has happened is that yields have sort of been aver- prices were low, Ryckmans says. Now, becauseDEMAND AND age, on field yields if you like, but there's the grossthe prices are good, they could end up sowing more yield, when you've taken out the waste, some ofwinter cereals. LACK OF DEMAND. the problems and things settle down quite a lot,Porter expects there may be a small cut inWHEREAS NOW Porter explains. potato acreage with an increase unlikely. TheITS PROBABLY The pest and disease problems have led toNEPG is predicting contract prices for the 2022/23 wider rotations in fields across Europe, and withgrowing season will need to increase by three toGOING TO BE land at a premium there are less fields availablefour euros per 100 kg for growers to consider plant- ABOUT LACK OF to plant spuds. Countries such as Belgium anding potatoes. If this doesnt happen NEPG expectsSUPPLY. Holland are growing potatoes on as many fieldspotato area reductions will happen.as they can with little opportunities to add more. CEDRIC PORTERHowever, potato area in France is increasing rap-idly as new regions have started planting spuds.EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEAN SEED I 43"