Despite the fact that the potato harvest in the northern Spanish province of Alava started in mid-August, the insistent rains recorded over the last few months have extended the harvesting season for longer than expected.
"At this time, just under 1,000 tons have yet to be harvested; in other words, 7.5% of the acreage we have devoted to the production of both seed potatoes and potatoes for consumption," says Jon Legorburu, Udapa's field technician.
Nonetheless, the cooperative from Alava expects the total harvest to remain slightly below the 13,000 tons that it had initially estimated. "We have already stored around 12 million kilos; of these, 10 million will be sold as potatoes for consumption, while the remaining 2,000 tons will be used as certified seed potatoes next season," says Legorburu.
Despite the fact that the end of the harvest is around the corner, the cooperative is keeping an eye on the weather. "Right now, the biggest handicap is managing to get the potatoes properly washed. The harvesting conditions have been getting worse week after week due to the incessant rains, so the tubers we have been receiving over the last few days have a lot of soil stuck to them," says Legorburu.
In any case, Udapa is satisfied with the harvest because, according to its technicians, "the quality of the production is really good and both the size of the tubers and the color of their skin are commercially adequate."
For more information:
UDAPA
Paduleta 1, Pol. Ind. de Júndiz
01015 Vitoria-Gasteiz. Spain
[email protected]
udapa.com