- The rainfall deficit influenced the formation of potato yields.
- Good potato yields are obtained only on irrigated plantations.
- High pressure of potato blight and high temperatures contributed to premature ripening of plants and their drying out.
- Early varieties are already being harvested, while later ones are still accumulating yields.
- Potato prices are stable so far this year.
Proper digging earlier than a year ago
In many regions of Poland, potato diggers have appeared in potato fields, especially unirrigated ones. Due to water deficit and high temperatures, early ripening and drying of plants have been noted. The skin of early varieties is ripe and such potatoes are already suitable for digging without a major risk of damaging the tubers during digging or storage. Intensively protected and irrigated plantations are still accumulating yields and satisfactory, although not record-breaking production results are expected on these plantations. Many experts believe that this season is remembered as one full of many days with high temperatures in the background, and such days are not conducive to building yields by potatoes.
What are the forecasts for the potato harvest in 2024?
As Dr. Nowacki reports, this year's potato yields are very, very diverse and range from 20 to 60t/ha depending on the region, agricultural technology used and especially the use of irrigation. This procedure is starting to dominate in large farms and is saving the potential of this crop.
– Potato yield in normal climatic conditions (optimum rainfall and temperature) with correct agricultural technology on professional farms may be in the range of 400-500 dt/ha in Poland – reports Dr. Nowacki.
However, as he further points out, in the case of potatoes, yields can vary greatly, not only due to regionalisation, but also to the level of agricultural technology adopted.
– Taking into account the unfavourable agrometeorological conditions prevailing in the current agrotechnical season and the current agrarian structure of this species (the addition of less experienced farms to potato production), the average national yield should be expected at the level of 315 dt/ha (5 dt less than the initial forecast) – sums up the expert.
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Dig or wait for harvest? What price for potatoes? Will the market collapse?
Later varieties still accumulate yield so we can still talk about estimates. It's too early to sum up the season.
– The potato vegetation period is still ongoing. Taking into account many factors and based on the collected data, it is currently possible to forecast the 2024 harvest at the level of 6,709.5 thousand tons – Dr. Nowacki still presents preliminary estimates.
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How much are potatoes wholesale?
The harvest has begun and these are factors that affect the formation of potato prices. These usually fall during the period of the actual harvest. Currently, the price on the potato market from the 2024 harvest in Poland is stable.
According to Dr. Nowacki, at the end of August, data was collected from several leading wholesale markets and the following:
- On the wholesale market in Kraków (Rybitwy) potato prices ranged from PLN 1.80 to PLN 2.00 per kilogram.
- In Warsaw (Bronisze) potato prices ranged from PLN 1.00 to PLN 1.66 per kilogram. Potatoes of the Irga variety were priced from PLN 1.66 to PLN 2.00 per kilogram on the Warsaw market. Potatoes of the Irys variety were priced from PLN 1.60 to PLN 2.00 per kilogram on the same market.
- In Poznań (WGRO) the prices of young potatoes ranged from PLN 15.00 to PLN 30.00 per 15 kg bag, which gives a price from PLN 1.00 to PLN 2.00 per kilogram.
- At the Prague Food Exchange, potato prices were PLN 1.30 per kilogram.
- In Wrocław (Targpiast) potato prices ranged from PLN 1.30 to PLN 1.80 per kilogram.
- In Kalisz (Kalisz Stock Exchange) the prices of domestic potatoes ranged from PLN 12.00 to PLN 18.00 per 15 kg bag, which gives a price from PLN 0.80 to PLN 1.20 per kilogram