During Easter week, demand for early varieties from Italy and Cyprus significantly picked up, according to BLE, being sold alongside the offered quantities of asparagus. Generally, storage and early potatoes continued to share the market, with the latter especially gaining popularity. Cypriot and Italian imports were indeed increased, but were only available in limited quantities at some locations. Additionally, from this week, Egyptian Annabelle and Spunta potatoes were also accessible. This scarcity kept the prices of early potatoes particularly at an unchanged high level.
Schleswig-Holstein:
Local potato suppliers were able to meet the increased consumer demand due to the Easter holiday without any issues. Hopes for a price increase for the remaining stocks of the old harvest were not met. The quotations remained unchanged. The already high sorting out rates have increased even further due to the now lengthy storage duration. Fieldwork progressed well until the Easter weekend. However, there were high amounts of rainfall recently. This will delay further planting of early potatoes. In retail, the supply of early produce from the Mediterranean is increasing.
Hessen:
In the state of Hessen, there were no price changes for table storage potatoes compared to the previous week.
Rheinland-Pfalz:
As usual after Easter, sales at the potato market have been slow. For pricing reasons, older stock still holds significant shares, but competition from early potatoes from the Mediterranean is growing, with French origins also strongly represented. A good potato harvest is expected in the Mediterranean countries. Although the first asparagus from early cultivation has already been reported, a boost in potato sales is yet to come.
Nordrhein-Westfalen:
For table potatoes, a rather quiet trading activity is expected for the current week - after a sales boost before Easter. There are few changes in the industrial potato market. New impulses could come from the progress of plantings.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern:
At Landgut Grapzow GmbH, the first potato fields are already being planted. "In industrial potatoes, the starch is used for the production of, among other things, glue and paste." Moreover, the industry needs very long, firm-cooking potatoes from which French fries are made. "This area will continue to grow strongly," believes Jakob Senger. "That's why it's important for us to plant as many potato varieties as possible."
Niedersachsen:
The Easter days once again stimulated the sales of table potatoes. The remaining stock from the conventional crate storages was mostly sold off.