News potatoes
Avebe campaign price amounts to €100 per ton
Royal Avebe has announced the campaign price for the 2023 harvest today. This amounts to €100 per ton. According to CEO David Fousert, the growing season was challenging for the farmers. He also indicates that the yield of starch potato cultivation needs to increase further due to rising costs and other factors influencing the cultivation.
The campaign price for the 2023 harvest year, the final price that farmers receive with a 'standard' starch percentage of 19%, amounts to €100 per ton of potatoes. This is €5 higher than the earlier base price communicated. Last summer, in July 2023, Avebe actually lowered the base price. It was then at €105 and was reduced to €95 per ton. The reason for this was the rapid change in market perspective, which made the sale of end products more difficult and led to increasing stocks. In 2021, the base price was €78 per ton of potatoes.
Yield to increase further
According to Fousert, Royal Avebe constantly aims for the highest possible payment to its farmer members and the yield of cultivation must increase further. "We are taking the necessary steps in that direction. We realize that the yield of starch potato cultivation needs to increase further due to rising costs, climate change, changing laws and regulations, and competition in the field."
In addition to rising costs, the cultivation was also hindered by the weather. Potato planting was later than usual due to the wet spring. This was followed by a season with all types of weather, such as drought, a period of heavy rainfall, and even frost during the harvest period. Not all potatoes were harvested, although this percentage is very low. Fousert: "It is impressive how our members have tackled the many challenges of the past cultivation year. This also had a significant impact on Avebe."
The processing campaign of the starch concern ended in March and the average starch percentage was 19.5%. This is slightly lower than in other years. The waste percentage was 6.2%, which was higher due to the wet harvesting conditions.
Cultivation 2024/25
The start of the current growing season is starting to resemble 2023. Once again, Avebe members are facing many challenges at the beginning due to the wet spring, resulting in a later start to planting potatoes than usual. Regionally, the differences are significant, but on average, 90% of the potatoes for Avebe are already in the ground.
