This year, the weather has been a decisive factor for many European campaigns, especially for potatoes. This year, this staple food has been affected by an unusually hot and dry summer across the continent (with the exception of the Netherlands, according to the latest data). The yields per hectare and the sizes have both been affected, and the same can be said about the profitability of the farms, which are having to deal with extraordinary expenses in irrigation or storage. Spain has been no stranger to this situation.
"In general, yields have fallen due to the high temperatures, which have affected all potatoes, both ware and seed potatoes. When the optimum temperature is exceeded, the plants stop their vegetative development, so yields in Spain have remained at around 45 tons per hectare, a lower average than in other years," said Gonzalo González, of HZPC. "However, that is one of the reasons why potato prices stand at their current levels."
"As for seed potatoes, the productions have also been reduced quite a bit, although the final amount of seeds hasn't dropped; in fact, the lower volume is a consequence of the lower weight per unit of potatoes, as calibers are smaller this year, but we have obtained a higher number of units," said Gonzalo. "Thus, there won't be any kind of problem in the supply of seeds for the next sowings in Spain; only the weather will determine the acreage that will be planted with potatoes. This year will be completely unpredictable. If it rains in December, the acreage could even increase in the earliest areas, but if not, there may be a drastic reduction. What we need is simply water, and only that will make it possible for the situation to give a 180 degree turn."
"The implementation of climate resistances is one of the aspects being worked on in breeding programs"
In the case of seed potatoes, Gonzalo said that the fact that smaller calibers are available this season, far from being a drawback, could actually be considered a real advantage. "Seed potatoes are usually sorted by caliber: between 28 and 35, between 35 and 50, and above 50, which are calibers for cutting and require more specific machinery. However, the most demanded (and more expensive) seeds tend to be the smaller ones, because they offer a higher yield per surface area. For extra-early plantings and for the Castile area, 28-35 caliber seeds are, in fact, the most suitable," he said.
HZPC is specialized in the seed potato segment and has positioned itself as a world leader in seed breeding, marketing and concept development. This year, the Dutch company was present at Fruit Attraction to showcase its latest developments in varieties with built-in resistances. "One of the most outstanding ones is the Libra, an early variety with a good amount of dry matter intended for washing, with a cycle in between that of the Colomba, which arrives earlier, and the Lucinda, which is a medium-late cycle variety. Another outstanding variety is the Rashida, which is intended for the traditional market, but is also suitable for the washing market, with a medium cycle, very good quality and high resistance to viruses."
"The Rashida is also highly resistant to drought and adverse weather conditions, as are the Quintera and Camelia, two varieties that are more oriented to the Central European and African markets, which are less demanding when it comes to inputs such as fertilization or irrigation."
It is increasingly important to develop varieties that are adapted to all kinds of climates, and to the more extreme conditions associated with climate change, and "the implementation of this type of resistance is precisely one of the factors being worked on in breeding programs," said Gonzalo.
HZPC markets an extensive range of varieties optimized for local growing conditions in each destination, in all continents, offering "solutions that dynamically anticipate the climatic, cultural and commercial challenges faced by the entire food industry," said the company.
"For now, the seed potatoes marketed in Spain come mainly from the Netherlands and France. In Spain, we are not yet producing seed potatoes, but we are studying the possibility of producing them soon in the Alava area," said Gonzalo.
