"If consumers became capable of distinguishing Canary bananas from non-European bananas, the same could also be achieved with new potatoes from Spain and France, since the latter are sold as new, but have actually been kept in cold storage for months," explains José Pelaez, manager of the company Sevillana de Patatas, referring to the conflict that the sector has been in for the last ten years. While it is an old controversy, it comes back every spring with the launch of the first new potatoes harvested in the province of Seville, which accounts for 80% of the entire Andalusian production.
Alongside Seville's produce, French potatoes are also sold under the label "special for frying," when the truth is that this is a product that has been kept in cold storage for eight months at very low temperatures to keep its appearance in good condition, but which in no way has the quality of the potatoes from Seville, or of those harvested in other parts of Spain during the summer.
Peláez explains that not only does this constitute fraud to the consumer, but the French product also turns black when it comes into contact with hot oil, "since after many months in storage, the natural potato starch has degraded into sugars."
In his view, it is "a mummified, low quality, product, but which is appealing to the eye." Both José Peláez and the head of the sector at Asociafruit, Marco Román, agree that fraud occurs first in the labelling, according to which the potatoes have been packed in Spain; "however, in practically unreadable letters, it confirms their origin is French."
Both also point out another adverse factor, which is the fact that the French tuber costs about half to produce, "since France produces almost twice as much as per hectare," points out Peláez, who adds that "for every hectare planted in Seville, 40,000 kilos are harvested, while in our neighbouring country the yield may reach between 60,000 and 70,000 kilos."
