Potato Markets Weekly

摘要

The EU market is flat this week and trading is lacklustre, but traders are not complacent. Stocks are already beginning to run out in Germany and elsewhere and export demand could revive in March and April. Last year's net harvest in Belgium could beas low as 1.8 million tonnes, according to one report, and we speculate that Dutch ware and seed plantings could increase by 2.1% this year, giving a harvest which would be 7% up on last year's official estimate but probably one million tonnes more thanthe real availability of ware and seed in 2006/07. Early potatoes are however said to be ahead of schedule in Portugal and winters have been mild in many Mediterranean countries. There has been some weakness in the RMX Hanover April 2007 contracts this week, but this is said to be due to traders moving positions forward to the May contract, probably in expectation of very high prices at the tail end of the season. The GB market may be lagging behind those of neighbouring Continental countries but UK ware exports continued to rise strongly in December while imports were 17% down, shrinking the trade deficit. Imports of fries and chips also showed double-digit declines. German discounters are still increasing their market share, while German household purchases were 3.2% down last year compared with 2005. Rising raw material prices are expected to hit the snacks market while domestic supplies of organic potatoes in Germany are about to run out. A Marne coop is to supply starch potatoes to be used in the manufacture of biodegradable bags.