French and Dutch potato acreage down sharply; Spanish market hit by French imports
French potato acreage in 2026 has dropped by nearly 19,000 hectares (-9.7%), while Dutch plantings have reached their lowest level since 2012. Spanish new potato prices have collapsed due to large volumes of old French potatoes being sold at low prices.
According to French producer organizations, the area planted with storage potatoes (fresh and processing) in France for 2026 has declined to 173,415 ha, down from 192,099 ha in 2025—a decrease of 9.7% (-18,684 ha). This reduction follows several years of expansion and is a response to overproduction in the 2025/26 season and market instability. Hauts-de-France remains the largest potato-producing region, with nearly 61% of France's total potato area, despite a significant drop in sowings. The current growing season is facing water deficits and heatwaves, which may further affect yields.
In the Netherlands, potato acreage in 2026 has fallen by 8.4% to just under 150,000 ha, the lowest since 2012. The area for ware potatoes has dropped 15% year-on-year to 70,200 ha, while starch potato area is down 4% to 37,700 ha—its lowest in 30 years. The reduction follows a record 4.4 million tonne crop in 2025, which caused a sharp price decline and led growers to switch to other crops, especially cereals.
Spain’s fresh potato market is under pressure from large volumes of old French storage potatoes being sold to the foodservice sector during the peak tourist season. Spanish new potatoes from Murcia and Andalucía are accumulating unsold in the fields. Prices for new Spanish potatoes have dropped to €0.25–0.30/kg, below the average production cost of €0.35–0.40/kg. French storage potatoes are being sold to Spanish buyers at €0.15–0.20/kg. In 2025, Spain imported 941,000 tonnes of French potatoes, up 23% year-on-year, with French imports making up 73% of Spain’s potato imports.
In Belgium, processed potato exports in 2025 fell by 3% to 3.37 million tonnes, but the share of exports within the EU rose to over 60%. France is the largest market for Belgian potato products, accounting for 20% of exports (652,800 tonnes in 2025). Exports to the UK have stagnated, while those to Spain and Italy have declined. Fresh and industrial potato exports from Belgium also dropped by 7.2% in 2025, mainly due to decreased demand from the Netherlands.
The Andalusian company Patatas Arrebola has launched a new regional brand, 'Sabor del SUR,' to promote locally grown new potatoes during the main harvest period from late April to mid-July. This initiative seeks to highlight the freshness and short supply chain of Andalusian potatoes compared to imports from France and Egypt, which travel 1,500–5,000 km to reach Spanish retailers. The reduction in French and Dutch potato acreage may affect the availability and pricing of imported potatoes in Poland and other Central European markets in the coming months.
Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker