Are we in for a very early start to the young potato season in Poland?

Information coming from the country suggests that many early potato producers have decided to start planting these vegetables very early. Earlier than last year, and yet everything was accelerated in the 2024 season. Both planting and the start of the commercial campaign. If it weren't for the cold spring, the first early domestic potatoes grown under cover could have appeared even sooner.

Let's remind that in 2024, the first price quotations for domestic young potatoes in small wholesale took place before April 25. At the exchange in Kalisz, the first quotation for young domestic potatoes was at 12.00 PLN/kg. In Broniszach near Warsaw, as usual, it was more expensive: 15.00-20.00 PLN/kg. These initial prices were higher than in the typical start of the campaign in previous years when young potatoes from domestic crops entered the market in May.

How will it be this time? The warm winter of 2025 encouraged many producers to risk an even earlier start of the vegetative season than last year. The recent frost in March did not negatively affect well-covered crops, so another commercial campaign could start around April 20. Of course, much can still change in the coming days and weeks, and the key factor will be the weather.

But among market participants, there are already concerns about the development of price situation in the upcoming season. An early start and increased yield will result in a very rapid increase in supply. If, in addition, we have a large import of potatoes from Romania again, the pressure on Polish potato prices will be significant. A year ago, producers had the same concerns, but fortunately for them, they did not materialize. The weather negatively affected yields, and the import was not that large. As a result, prices of young potatoes remained quite high - below the five-year average they only fell at the end of July 2024.

Regarding the current price situation in the market for potatoes from last year's harvest, the situation is fairly stable. There is a slight upward trend. Selling prices of yellow and red varieties are in large wholesale at the level of 1.00-1.30 PLN/kg. This maintains the average price above the previous five-year average, but below the quotations from the corresponding period of the 2024/2025 season.