Smaller area and drought to cut Europe’s potato crop by a quarter

North-Western Europe is expected to see a sharp decline in the 2026 food potato crop. According to the North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG), production may fall to 20.695 mln tons, down 25.4% from a year earlier.

One of the main reasons is a reduction in planted area. In spring 2026, farmers in the region cut potato area by 13.7% to 521.5 thsd ha. Lower yields are also expected to weigh on total output.

Average potato yield is forecast at 40.5 t/ha, down 13.9% from 2025 and 9.4% below the five-year average. The largest crop is expected in Germany at around 7.55 mln tons, followed by France at 6.485 mln tons, Belgium at 3.431 mln tons and the Netherlands at 3.229 mln tons.

Hot and dry weather in July and August was the main factor affecting crop development across much of the region. Even irrigated fields showed weaker-than-expected tuber development. Additional risks include pests, diseases and possible premature sprouting during storage.

The significant reduction in supply could support potato prices in Europe in the 2026/27 season. The impact may be particularly noticeable in the processing and table potato segments if actual yields remain close to current forecasts.