With holidays nearing, potato prices stay extremely low

With the holidays at the end of this month in sight, no changes can be expected in the extremely low potato prices for the time being. Both Belgapom and Reka-Rheinland have today revealed unchanged prices.The leader of the Belgian potato trade and fries industry, Christophe Vermeulen, supports this. It appears that there will not be much movement in this very sluggish market situation as we approach the end of the year, he says in his weekly video message. It is not only the weekly free prices that are in the gutter due to a market that is completely stagnant. The potato pools also see no potential for meaningful returns in the current malaise. The Aviko pool prices for land delivery remain stuck at a historically low average of €2.50 per 100 kilograms. Director Agro & Supply Dick Zelhorst does not beat around the bush. The unfortunate combination of 10% more European acreage, 15% more yield, and a lack of outlets has meant that the Potato Growers Committee (ATC) of Aviko has had virtually no sales opportunities. This resulted in a portion of the pool potatoes needing to be sold to flake and starch industries, and even ending up in animal feed. First contracts for 2026 Also for the coming year, potato growers should not expect gifts for now. The contract prices are going down. This was already known, but this week the first proposals have actually been presented. In Belgium, the first fries manufacturers have come out with their contracts, indicating that next year about €4 per 100 kilograms less will be paid than this season. The outcomes of the new contracts are not a stunning surprise. Still, it remains a hard blow that a market that still shows healthy growth worldwide suddenly hits the growers in Northwestern Europe hard in the wallet. It was not long ago that contract prices were significantly increased in a major struggle for hectares. This was also necessary to compensate for the sharply rising costs. Focus on the struggle for outlets The latter now seems to have completely lost sight. The focus has shifted to the struggle for outlets, which calls for tightening the belt. Cheaper fries are needed to regain lost ground in international fries sales. Simply put, the bill for that will fall to the farmer. This is while cultivation costs will continue to rise, as growers are also expected to meet the sustainability demands of consumers. The fries industry has successfully won the battle for hectares in recent years. In just two years, so many hectares have been added that the market has become oversupplied. This has significantly contributed to the historically low prices of free potatoes. Fry industry wins battle for hectares The industry does not need to worry that the battle for hectares will reignite quickly. Grain prices have fallen to a low level, and sugar beet cultivation has also been further restricted in 2026. Onions will not fill the gaps that arise, partly due to a lack of seed. And vegetable cultivation, given the oversaturated market this year, is currently offering no relief either. Growers therefore see themselves forced to continue potato cultivation next year in the hope that the market will pick up again after a while. In this situation, it is also very easy for the industry to pass the bill for cheaper fries onto the growers. Lack of alternatives elsewhere as well Due to the lack of alternatives, potato cultivation remains of utmost importance, and contracts are being signed widely despite the significantly lower prices. For the coming year, we hope that the neighbor will plant a bit fewer hectares. Attention is also being paid to France and Germany, where the majority of additional hectares have come about in the past two years. But even there, alternatives are lacking. The downward path is much more difficult in this situation than the previous (short) upward path. How long this descent will last is unknown. One thing is certain: it will become more slippery. And the risks of this route remain with the grower, who at least knows that they will receive less for the contracted potatoes. The feast of relatively high contract prices turns out to be short-lived; enjoy it while you can.