According to EastFruit analysts, international trade in seed potatoes has been declining over the past five years. The four largest exporting countries, which account for 74% of global exports, have also shown negative trends in seed potato exports.
“The global decline in international trade in seed potatoes is due to extremely unfavorable weather conditions in 2022 and 2023 in the main producing countries, which negatively affected production volumes. Additionally, there has been an intensification of local breeding programs in some countries. Recently, the factor of ‘deglobalization,’ or the increase in trade barriers, both tariff and non-tariff, by various countries, has further decreased the efficiency of the potato business as a whole,” notes Andriy Yarmak, economist at the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Global seed potato sales declined by 42,000 tons, or 2.5% on average per year, from 2019 to 2023. The UK led in reducing exports the fastest, by 6% and 6,000 tons per year. The Netherlands reduced exports more slowly in relative terms, by 2.7% per year, but the absolute volume of decline was higher, at 24,000 tons annually. Despite the downward trend in export volumes, the Netherlands continues to hold an incredibly high share of the global seed potato market—more than 51%.
Interestingly, Germany has overtaken the UK in recent years, pushing it down to fourth place in the global ranking. Meanwhile, France remains in second place, holding an impressive 12% share of the global seed potato market.
Read also: EU Potato Prices Set to Break Records Amid Adverse Weather and Seed Challenges?
Among the top 10, Belgium experienced the fastest decline in seed potato exports, dropping to eighth place in the world exporter ranking, with an average annual reduction of 13%. Conversely, Egypt led in increasing seed potato exports, primarily due to a sharp rise in supplies to Russia in 2023. However, the sustainability of this growth is uncertain as everything related to trading with Russia. Additionally, the United States has continued increasing its foreign sales of seed potatoes to other countries at an average rate of 9%, or 3,300 tons annually being the only one sustainably growing exporter among top-10.
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