Portugal Potato Acreage down 5%

Portugal's potato acreage has been reduced by around 5% compared to last year, reports the German Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI) on its website. Last year, the country grew potatoes on 25,000 hectares, but this spring, the figure has fallen to 23,000 hectares.

The main reason for this decrease is the rainy weather registered at the beginning of the year. Growers of early potatoes were especially affected, as the planting had to be postponed and a profitable sales period could not be achieved. Some responded by switching to the earliest possible varieties for domestic sales.

The wet winter and spring have also caused potatoes in many fields to germinate unevenly. In the growing regions with the most favourable climatic conditions, growers aim to introduce the first new potatoes into the domestic market by mid-May.