Planting of new potatoes is well underway in the Spanish province of Seville, where companies such as Nevado e Hijos have already completed more than 60% of the sowing of their approximately 400 hectares distributed between the municipalities of Villamanrique de la Condesa, Dos Hermanas, and La Puebla del Río.
"This year we will again be planting the same area as last year to supply our two main clients: Mercadona in Spain, to which we supply 80% of our production, and Carrefour Belgium, which receives the remaining 20%," says Miguel Ángel Castillo, manager of Nevado e Hijos.
Conditions have been good for the sowing these weeks in the province of Seville, which accounts for more than 50% of Andalusia's potato production, although for the second year running, there has been a shortage of seeds. "Last year, the amount of seeds arriving from Europe was already small, and with very little germination, which led to apical dominance in the plants and, in general, lower yields than expected. Here in Spain we have a drought problem, but in Europe, the problem has been the rains, often of a torrential nature, which have caused the seeds to go dormant, germinate late as a consequence, and be harvested a little later than normal," says the manager.
"To this, we must add the mildew issues we suffered in Seville due to the spring rains. In fact, it had been a long time since we had had so much mildew in the province, and as a result of this, there has been a lower production. However, in view of the great market demand, new potato prices have been very high."
"In general, these price situations always encourage people to plant, especially when the profitability of many local agricultural products, such as wheat, beet, or cotton, is not the best. The supply may increase so much that the market could be negatively affected, as has happened with onion. However, I don't think this will happen, because the shortage of potato seeds will not allow there to be any kind of overproduction this season," says Miguel Ángel.
"We can see that seed potato companies have prioritized delivering the already contracted supply to their usual clients, and there is not much free seed available for producers who may spontaneously wish to grow potatoes, encouraged by the crop's prices. In fact, those interested in exclusive varieties are hardly going to find them because of the very limited supply of free seeds," he says.
"The freshness, texture, and flavor of new potatoes is far superior to that of imported potatoes from storage"
Early potatoes, better known as new potatoes, are the most important type in Andalusia where, according to data from the Regional Council of Agriculture, they account for around 61% of the total area planted.
"New potato consumption is increasing every year and their supply in supermarkets continues to grow. Those who have tried new potatoes, as opposed to old potatoes, as they are colloquially called (which have been harvested months ago and are imported from northern Europe), clearly want this product, and consumers prefer it regardless of strong competition from other products," says Miguel Ángel. "That is why we are implementing an extra-early potato program so that we can have fresh, new potatoes also during January, February, and March, which is not the normal growing season."
This winter season, known as the "verdete" campaign, involves additional work compared to the spring or summer seasons, because from the planting in late August until the harvest, potato plants are exposed to the inclement weather of the fall and winter, so the crop is not as fruitful as in the usual cycle. However, by making this effort we aim to give consumers the new Spanish potatoes they demand for as long as possible because we know that the freshness, texture, and flavor of new potatoes is far superior to that of imported potatoes from storage. In short, the superior quality of new potatoes more than makes up for their higher price."
For more information:
Nevado e Hijos
Pol. Industrial El Puntal Nº 3-4 41140 Isla Mayor, Seville. Spain
Tel.: +34 955 773 997
[email protected]
https://nevadoehijos.es/