Dr. Wojciech Nowacki from the Polish Potato Association provided insights into the future of potato cultivation in Poland, emphasizing the importance of the 2024 cultivation data. In 2024, Poland saw its potato cultivation area reach almost 195 thousand hectares, with yields of 300 dt/ha and a total harvest of 5.85 million tons, an increase from 5.60 million tons in the previous year. Adjustments by the SPZ and IERiGŻ PIB suggest a larger figure of approximately 6.35 million tons harvested over 205 thousand hectares, with an estimated yield of 310 dt/ha, indicating underreported figures due to minor, unaccounted-for crops, FreshPlaza informs.
The rise in the cultivation area in 2024 was attributed to the high prices of tubers from 2023, making potato farming more appealing due to the low profitability of other crops. However, challenges such as high costs and limited availability of quality seed potatoes, alongside adverse weather conditions, impacted the 2024 season, leading to a significant portion of the harvest being classified as waste crop. According to Dr. Nowacki, the commercial quality of the 2024 potato harvest was compromised by heat and inconsistent rainfall, resulting in about 75% of the yield being of commercial quality. Issues such as diseases, deformation, and early blight occurrences were noted, necessitating rapid utilization of affected tubers.
Read also: After a good year for potatoes, producers in Europe want to plant more
Regarding market prices, Dr. Nowacki indicated relative stability in 2024, although prices were lower than in 2023. The autumn 2024 marketplace saw a 10% decrease in prices compared to the previous year, with wholesale prices dropping to about PLN 141/dt ($35.4/dt) in December 2024, 18% lower than the year before. The expected average market prices for the 2024/25 season are projected at about PLN 2.10/kg ($0.53/kg) for market prices and PLN 156/dt ($39.2/dt) for wholesale, with retail prices varying significantly.
Looking ahead to 2025, the SPZ anticipates an increase in potato cultivation area to 210 thousand hectares, with yields potentially reaching 320 dt/ha, resulting in a harvest of 6.7 million tons. This forecast considers the evolving perception of potato cultivation as a specialized crop requiring irrigation for optimal yields. The market turnover for potatoes in the 2024/25 season is expected to be around 3.71 million tons, a 4.0% increase from the previous season, with industrial uses of potatoes expected to rise by about 6%.
The potato market’s behavior remains uncertain, with influences from major European producers such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, which collectively saw a production increase of approximately 0.8 million tons (almost 2.7%) in the previous year. As Poland and other European countries navigate the challenges and opportunities in potato cultivation, the industry’s dynamics continue to evolve.
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