Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 43 INTERNATIONAL Storage gets smarter MILD temperatures during harvesting are not ideal for storing potatoes and to maintain quality during storage, good storage solutions are essential. In France and Belgium, such systems are becoming increasingly smart, according to Omnivent, which develops and supplies storage solutions. Company Sales Manager for the two countries, Cor van Maanen, says there has been a noticeably increased need for intelligent, sustainable storage systems over the past few years. “Every year, growers must consider three factors: The harvested products’ quality, weather conditions, and storage length. It can be tough to control those things. This season, for example, was dry. The quality coming oŒ the land is good, but it’s still too hot. To maintain their quality, potatoes should be kept at 7°C. If they want to keep the product sprout-free, producers have to immediately either add more sprout inhibitors or take over the climate,” he said. Cor said there is a lot of uncertainty among growers in Belgium and France, with daily queries on how to deal with high temperatures and sprouting every day. “Added to that, of course, are concerns about high electricity costs and possibly gas for heating. The initial storage phase is vital for the rest of the storage period. Prices in Belgium and France are pretty good, so producers are trying to sell as much of their produce as they can oŒ-land,” he said. Climate change means refrigeration is becoming increasingly challenging, he added. “It’s not just the temperature, but also its impact.” Using optimal energy is becoming increasingly popular and many potato supply companies now have solar panels on their roofs or a wind turbine, he said. “No one uses cheap power at night anymore. Nowadays, it’s better to cool and condense during the day to optimally absorb your own generated power,” said Cor. The energy crisis is pushing up demand for the company’s EMS (Energy Management System). “Producers want even more sustainable, clever storage and cooling. Omnivent is proud that our technologies allowed for good product storage under all conditions, but current energy prices aren’t helping. Yet, Western European growers’ resilience is becoming evident. Continuing to look ahead along with our customers and having a solution-orientated mindset - that’s our joint strength,” he said. Heavy rain hits India harvest HEAVY October rains and more expensive seeds impacted on the potato harvest of the Uttar Pradesh area in India. Growers were forced to sow for a second time after the heavy rain damaged the seeds, giving rise to concerns that there will be a lower harvest. After the rains, potato seeds almost doubled in price, while there was uncertainty over potato rates, leaving growers further discouraged. The State Government was urged to supply potato seed as it did last year. Input costs such as fuel and fertilisers have also increased, adding to grower challenges, and as a result some are turning to alternative crops. Ukraine prices increase POTATO prices in Ukraine are beginning to pick up again, according to East Fruit project analysts. The price increase is down to a surge in demand and overall reduction of stocks of potatoes unsuitable for long- term storage, they state. Until recently, purchasing activity of wholesale companies and retail chains had been low , resulting in declining selling prices in the segment. Current prices are in the region of 5-9 UAH/kg ($0.14-0.25/ kg). Most large producers are continuing to retain potato sales, which is encouraging the price growth, while growers have said there is a high volume of substandard products on the market that are unsuitable for long-term storage. Potatoes in Ukraine are, on average, 1.5 times more expensive today than in the same period last year. Producers have said prices are likely to rise again.