Potato surplus in Europe reaches 3.3 mln tons, sending prices crashing

The European potato market has come under pressure due to a record surplus in the 2025 harvest, which has led to a critical drop in prices. In some cases, farmers are even forced to pay extra for the sale of their products, as supply significantly exceeds demand.

This is reported by PotatoPro.

According to analysts at DCA Market Intelligence, the total surplus in the four largest producing countries (the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany) is estimated at 3.3 million tonnes. In particular, in France, the surplus is 1 million tonnes, in Belgium – 800 thousand tonnes, and in the Netherlands – about 600 thousand tonnes. The main reason for the overstocking was the expansion of the area under the crop over the past 2 years and favorable weather conditions, which ensured high yields.

“There is currently no prospect of improving the market situation, so producers are deciding to stop spending on cooling and vacate warehouses more quickly,” says potato market expert Niels van der Boom.

Prices for technical potatoes in the Netherlands currently fluctuate between -1 and -2 euros per 100 kg (for livestock purposes), which effectively means a surcharge on the part of the farmer for exporting the goods. Surpluses are being redirected to livestock feed, starch production or biofermentation. In Belgium, promotional campaigns are being launched to stimulate consumption, and in France, protocols for controlled destruction of stocks are being developed to free up storage for the new harvest.

“Farmers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France have significantly expanded their potato areas, focusing on high demand from the processing industry, but market dynamics have changed structurally,” the material says.

Tags: EU, prices, potato