EU potato harvest heading for average yields

The conditions at the start of the potato season in the European Union are mostly normal. This is shown by the preliminary estimates from the European Commission's JRC research institute in this week's Mars report. Although it is still early in the season, JRC is already giving an indication of the yields for potato growers. Often, this estimate is fairly close to the final result. The estimate in May last year differed by 1.5 tonnes per hectare from the final result, but it was the closest to the final yield of 38.9 tonnes per hectare. The estimates for this year start at a slightly lower level than a year ago. The first forecast comes to an average yield of 37.1 tonnes per hectare in the European Union. That is a normal yield. Compared with the 2025 harvest, this estimate is 4% lower. This is separate from the expectation that the potato acreage will be smaller this year. On the map below, most countries are colored yellow. This means that yields are estimated to be around the normal level. Only in Finland and Italy are slightly higher yields per hectare expected. Together, these countries account for about 4% of total potato production in the EU. Compared with last year, lower yields are mainly expected in Lithuania, Denmark, Belgium and Austria. This is related to the high yields achieved there last year. In Spain and Portugal, conditions are favorable for higher yields than a year ago. The estimates are based on the total of ware potatoes, seed potatoes and starch potatoes.