Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Exporters will supply less potatoes on Russia's market
Imported fresh potatoes would decline on Russia's market in 2010/2011, reports Andrey Yarmak, the head of www.fruit-inform.com while the conference ''Agropak's white nights'' which is taking place now in St. Petersburg.
According to A. Yarmak, Russia's largest farmers would increase potatoe production this season.
Due to new storage facilities and updated processing equipment, price for the product will be as high as the imported price.
May and June witness surplus in the supply of the domestic potatoes on the inner makret. Meanwhile the imported product amounts to 65% on Russia's market. Therefore Russian producers invest in cooling storages to sell the potato at high price during the stated period.
For example, some Russian producers keep on selling last year's potatoes at a price which covers storage costs during September- June.
Due to unfavourable weather conditions in EC, price for European potatoes would increase. Under the circumstances, exporters will not be interested in selling their product on Russia's market. Holland, Egypt and Azerbaijan are the main exporters of potatoes on Russia's market. China, Israel, Germany and Saudi Arabia are the second largest exporters to Russia.