German producers expand acreage

GERMAN potato distributor Helle Niedersachsen's Managing Director Volker Peters said potato producers are expanding their acreage for lack of a good current alternative. 

He said the market for table potatoes is on the move again after being hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
 
"The marketing of chip potatoes is also working again, although prices are below contract levels," he said in a recent interview with Fresh Plaza. "The French fries segment recorded a small upward trend in September and October, but was again brought to a virtual standstill when the restaurants had to close down again. The processing of the peeled goods is undoubtedly suffering the most from the conditions. At the moment, processing capacity is only around 30%."