Lifting progress has improved slightly this week especially for those on lighter ground, however, more rain is forecast and there is still a severe risk that much of the potato crop may not be harvested if weather conditions do not improve.
Growers report indicate that harvesting losses are quite high in some areas hindered by poor weather conditions. This will result in lower saleable yields. There is good market demand for crop available at present.
Yields in the EU-4 (France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands) have recovered slightly from last season, but still remain below average attributed to hot and dry weather over the summer. Lifting has been hindered by the heavy rainfall over the past few weeks, with many regions across the EU-4 falling behind normal.
Import demand for fresh potatoes from Eastern Europe remains strong. The latest production estimates from Poland indicate that Polish production is at 6.7Mt. This is down 11% from last season’s harvest due to the ongoing drought in parts of Eastern Europe, including both Poland and the Czech Republic.
Ex-Farm Potato Prices reported to IFA
| Low | High | Average | |
| Rooster box (new season) | €360 | €400 | €370 |
| Rooster10 kg bag | €3.90 | €4.60 | €4.20 |
| Whites box | €340 | €400 | €370 |
| K Pinks 10kg bag | €5.00 | €5.50 | €5.20 |
