This year, the Belgian potato stock is 17 percent lower than the average of previous years. The total stock is 1.81 million tonnes at the moment, only 20 percent of which is meant for the free market. Early in February, research institutes PCA, Fiwap and Carah made an inventory of the potato stock. Forty-four percent of the stored potatoes from 2018’s harvest have now been supplied. The inventory shows that the stock of contracted potatoes is 12 percent larger than the average of the past five years.
According to multiple potato traders, there aren’t a lot of winners this year. “There are considerably fewer potatoes this season, but quality isn’t great either. Contracts have to be filled, but when volumes aren’t high enough and quality isn’t good enough, additional purchases have to be made on the free market. But the free market doesn’t have a lot of potatoes either, resulting in high prices. Hope is therefore aimed at other countries. Perhaps import potatoes can fill the gap on the market between old and new potatoes.”
Of the total stock, 50 percent is Fontane, while the Bintje share is only 13 percent this year. Five years ago, the potato stock consisted of 50 percent Bintje. The other storage varieties are Markies, Innovater, Challenger, Royal and VR808.
