| Root Crops
Potato planted area estimated to increase by 4%
AHDB Potatoes Market Intelligence Analysts estimate the total area planted with potatoes in Great Britain this season is
121,000 hectares. The figure was announced Monday 26 June during a public webinar. This is up by four per cent on
the previous year, the same as 2014 and at a similar level to the area planted in 2012 and 2013.
he increase in area in Britain
matches similar estimates from
across the channel. The North-
west European Potato Growers
(NEPG), which covers Belgium,
the Netherlands, Germany,
France and the UK, estimated a combined
increase of 3.6% for last month.
Despite area increase, final production
figures will depend on the yield of potatoes per
hectare. AHDB market analysts’ considered
various yield scenarios, pointing to a likely rise
in production. Amber Cottingham said:
“A five-year average yield of 44.7 tonnes per
T
“There is still a lot of growing time
remaining in the season”
hectare (t/ha) would see a production increase
of four per cent. This average includes 2012,
which was an extremely low yielding year due
to adverse weather. If we exclude 2012 from the
average it becomes 46.7t/ha, harvest at that
rate would result in an 8% increase in potatoes
on the market compared to the 2016/17
season.”
The season average price for potatoes in the
2013 and 2014 seasons, which each had a
similar planted area to the estimate for this
season, was £154 per tonne and £127 per
tonne respectively. These season average
prices include potatoes sold on a contract with
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk
retailers or on the open market, known as ‘free-
buy’.
Ms Cottingham said: “There is still a lot of
growing time remaining in the season, so
nothing can be taken for granted at this
stage. An increase in production of between
four per cent and eight per cent might
sound sensible, but if this season sees
another record high-yielding year such
as 2015 then production could be as
high as 5.9 million tonnes. This would
be 13 per cent up on the previous
season. Although if weather events
change dramatically and yields take
a nosedive then production could
still be as low 4.5 million tonnes, a
14 per cent decrease in production
on the previous season.”
The estimate is produced using
anonymised and aggregated data
from levy payer's return forms,
which is analysed through an ISO
controlled process. Price and
production figures are based on
AHDB Market Intelligence figures,
compiled through weekly
communications with a sample from
the market.
In August AHDB will update the
estimate to include the varieties of
potatoes grown and regional figures.
July 2017 | Farming Monthly | 19