Potato processors further behind this spring

The total volume of potatoes processed has once again dropped below 300,000 tonnes. This is evident from the April 2026 figures released by the Dutch industry association Vavi. It is the fifth time this season that the processing figure has failed to exceed the 300,000-tonne mark. The Dutch potato processing industry processed 293,400 tonnes of potatoes during April. That is almost 74,000 tonnes less (20%) than the volume processed in the same month last year. It is also 3% lower than the March figure. At 57.1%, however, the processing yield remained high. Potato processing in the Netherlands showed a modest recovery during the first spring month, but unfortunately that improvement proved short-lived. Although the April volume remained higher than in January and February, the pace of processing slowed once again.French Fries Production DeclinesOf the total potato volume processed, 140,100 tonnes were turned into frozen fries, while 27,400 tonnes went into other products. The share of fries production declined accordingly, while the other products category remained unchanged. This is likely because processors are running their flake production lines at maximum capacity wherever possible.Imports amounted to 93,700 tonnes of potatoes, 11,500 tonnes less than in March. As a result, 32% of all potatoes processed in April originated from outside the Netherlands.Over a rolling 12-month period, a total of 3.581 million tonnes of potatoes have now been processed in the Netherlands. That is only 39,000 tonnes less than in the preceding 12-month period, when 3.620 million tonnes were processed. The volume of fries produced over the same 12-month period is 3% lower. However, a different picture emerges when focusing on the current processing season, which began in August. By 1 May, the cumulative volume stood at 2.657 million tonnes of potatoes, compared with 2.960 million tonnes during the same period of the 2024/25 season — a decline of more than 10%. Falling BehindDuring the 2024/25 season, Dutch factories processed 4.253 million tonnes of potatoes. With only three months remaining in the current season, a further 1.29 million tonnes would need to be processed to match that figure.This would require a monthly processing volume of 431,000 tonnes, which is highly unrealistic. It is therefore becoming increasingly clear that not all potatoes will find their way into processing plants. This is especially true given that June and July are traditionally the months with the lowest processing volumes. It is possible that old-crop potatoes will continue to be processed throughout August, effectively creating a 13-month season. In addition, alternative market channels will need to play their part in ensuring that all stores are cleared by the end of the season.