Fresh potato consumption is rapidly declining in Europe

The change in the daily habits of Europeans and the transition to ready-made semi-finished products have led to a significant drop in demand for potatoes that need to be peeled and cooked at home.

This is reported by Potato Pro.

According to the president of the Interprofessional Potato Association of Castile and Leon, Alberto Duque, the market is currently being taken over by products of the so-called 4th and 5th ranges – these are vegetables that have already undergone professional processing. The 4th range includes peeled, sliced ​​and vacuum-packed fresh products, and the 5th range includes already heat-treated or pre-cooked dishes that only need to be heated.

“Today, people do not consume so many fresh potatoes that need to be peeled and washed at home. Instead, they eat more potatoes of the 4th and 5th ranges, which are already prepared or even semi-cooked,” Alberto Duque emphasized.

The expert also stressed that due to inefficient management of the industry, Spain is forced to import large volumes of products from France, while having high production costs.

“We buy a lot of potatoes from France, and in Spain we have left the highest production costs,” he stated.

Although yield indicators have increased, compared to the situation 20 years ago, the total area under potato crops in EU countries continues to decrease due to low profitability. The main producers in Europe remain France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.

Tags: EU, potato