Potato Markets Weekly

摘要

Potato markets this week have been confronted by the paradox of a Belgian-led plunge in new crop prices (which has also affected old crop markets), while a continuing heat wave and very dry weather has resulted in a sharp rise in the April 2007 Hanover processing contract. A total 495 contracts were traded today and the price closed at 157/tonne EUR. With temperatures in most of the producing countries at 30 degrees C and more - even in Britain - crop development will be minimal and physical marketsshould recovery when processing plants come back on stream after their annual maintenance. Tuber size is another problem. Rain and cooler weather will be needed to increase the proportion of 50mm tubers; prices of these large grades are far above the official processing quotations which tend to require 60% of the sample to be above 50mm. There is still no sign of any seasonal decline on Spanish and Portuguese markets and supplies are expected to be tight in Spain this month, although there is less concern over the crops scheduled for harvesting in August and September. This year's planted area in Britain is put at 125 600 hectares, 0.2% down on 2005, in the British Potato Council's first estimate prepared from a survey of 54% of growers. We contend that the harvest will be no larger than last year's 5.66 million tonnes and the long-term downward trend is likely to be extended. Austrian plantings are expected to be marginally down on last year, at 21 900ha. In this issue we report on the success of Dutch seed exporters in overcoming the halving of sales to Algeria, on the large 2005 Austrian harvest, on the changing popularity of Scottish seed varieties, on Hungarian crisp manufacturer Chio-Wolf Magyarorszag struggling to find supplies on Russian market evolution and on Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace but now a supported of biotechnology, speaking at next month's World Potato Congress.