Potatoes in Poland - prices without improvement

Let's start with early potatoes. The weather in Poland has improved a little recently and farmers have started to get busy planting early potatoes. In some regions of the country, a large number of growers have started planting. But this is not the case everywhere - there seems to be more movement in the south than in the center. Those planting early potatoes want to get their produce to market as soon as possible while prices are still attractive. Above all they want to be in time for the flood of new potatoes from Romania.

The question is what the weather will allow, as this year is generally colder than last year. It's also been a real winter in the Balkans, not like last year. It is also uncertain whether the winter weather will not yet return to this part of Europe, if so, how much the temperatures will drop and whether the fleece will protect the potatoes from the cold.

There has been nothing new in the current potato trade recently. Prices have stabilised after slight fluctuations in late February and early March. Large wholesalers are selling at 0.33-0.43 PLN/kg (yellow potatoes, calibre 45+, packed in bags), 0.33-0.50 PLN/kg (red potatoes, calibre 45+, packed in bags) and 0.40-0.50 PLN/kg (white potatoes, calibre 45+, packed in bags). Potatoes in big bags or in bulk, popular varieties can be bought for 0.20-0.23 PLN/kg.

There's no shortage of produce, demand is still poor and there's no chance of improvement unless the catering industry starts up. This promises a long trading season for the 'old' potato, which will undoubtedly put downward pressure on early potato prices. Retailers already have potatoes from Egypt and Cyprus. Wholesale prices are 1.80-2.50/kg, retail is 3 PLN/kg and slightly above.