According to first harvest estimates in late August, the Swiss potato harvest will be smaller than previous years' average. The sector expected potatoes to amount to 262 kilo per acre. This value is about 32% less than average, compared to the past five years, reported Swiss website schweizerbauer.ch
The total harvest volume (consumption and processing potatoes) will lie between 340,000 and 350,000 ton. The small harvest was caused by the cold wet Spring causing slower growth and then the warm days in August gave potatoes heat stress. But how bad is it really?
The Swiss Bureau for Statistics (BFS) spoke last Thursday over the worst harvest for 100 years and that the result would be a catastrophic, but Ruedi Fischer, president of the Association of Swiss potato producers (VSKP) said: "The statement from the BFS is an exaggeration. Indeed 2013 is undoubtedly one of the most difficult harvest of recent years, however in recent weeks the situation has improved. The crop losses have decreased. Depending on the region, crop yields now range from inadequate to good."