"The inflows are limited due to the weather situation," explains Carsten Berger of Crasten Berger Kartoffelhandel from Hamburg. The rain impedes the potato harvest in Germany. The wholesale trader describes the situation: "Because of the wet weather, some areas cannot be harvested yet. There are far less potatoes available on the market than a year ago."
"Good numbers for export"
The extremely hot summer has left its traces with many producers. "At this early point in time, we are already achieving good figures for the export. That is unusual," the expert explains. "Bavaria also needs to buy additional potatoes from third parties. This has not occurred until now, that Bavaria buys potatoes from Lower Saxony." But not only Bavaria is dependent on the purchase of additional potatoes. "All areas adjacent to Bavaria have been too dry," Carsten Berger describes. "Hungary and Czech Rep. are already importing potatoes. But Poland will also shortly enter the market as a buyer. They have a bad harvest this year too. The entire south has dried out over there."
More money for the producer
"Due to the shortfall in supply, there is currently no pressure on the market. No one is forced to sell their wares in any way they can, anywhere they can," says the potato wholesale trader. "Thus, the producers can ask for a little more money. No one is assuming that this year will be extremely cheap."
Exact prognoses in two to three weeks
The wholesale trader says that at the present moment, we cannot yet predict how the market will develop in the long run. Berger: "We will see in the coming two to three weeks. Then we will know what quantities we will actually have available, and what we can expect from this season. It will depend on how the products in the warehouses behave - that is, in terms of temperature differences and moisture. Then we will see which products are durable and also truly suitable for storage.
