Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Frosts in early December led to additional losses of potatoes in EU
According to information of experts from Fruit-Inform Project, sudden sharp fall of temperature in late November – December led to additional losses of potato crop. This was connected with some potatoes being not harvested yet till this time. As to preliminary estimations, 3-5% of overall potato crop in Belgium, France and the Netherlands are lost due to frosts.
In general, as to latest data of experts, potato production in EU-27 will decrease by 10% to 56,7 million tonnes. Only 2 countries of EU (Greece and Poland) will face slight increase of potato production. The largest decrease was registered in Germany (19%), France (12%), the Netherlands (8%), and the UK (8%).
As a result of decrease in production, Europeans experienced significant growth of prices for potatoes. As of today, prices for potatoes in EU are averagely 2-fold higher than a year before.
We would also like to remind that according to Fruit-Inform Project, 2010 potato production in Ukraine decreased by 3% to 19 million tonnes, and prices for potatoes were approximately by 50% higher than last year ones. At the same time, decrease of potato production in Russia was even more significant, and prices for potatoes grew 1.5-fold in this country.
More detailed information of present situation and prospects of potato business of Ukraine and Russia is available in fundamental study “Potato business of Russia and Ukraine-2010. Present situation and prospects of development”.