July 9 2007, 08:58

Potato harvest has been under threat for the second year along in Europe

According to information of various European sources, potato harvest in European Union may be under threat again because of the widely spread bacterial diseases of potato. They make stems rot and injure bulbs. Warm and wet weather is considered to be the reason for the disease to spread. Even the application of plant protection assets does not cure the plants, because there are almost daily rainfalls in many production regions. Moreover, one more problem arises - it is the deficit of plant protection assets.

We'd like to remind that past year potato producers in European Union got the record low harvest of a very low quality because of drought. And, this potato was almost inappropriate for storage. Respectively, the prices for potato reached the record level in the ending season. That's why European farmers actively extended potato cultivation areas in 2007. Nevertheless, it seems like this year potato prices will stay high.

""Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" specialists evaluate the potato cultivation areas to grow 7% in Ukraine in 2007. However, potato production won't possibly grow comparing to 2006, because the potential harvest was significantly reduced in many regions because of June drought. And, there is a lot of time left before the harvesting season.