The Dutch area of seed potatoes is pretty much at its limit. The growth in seed potatoes will mainly take place abroad in the coming years. This was stated by Mark Zuidhof, CEO of the Agrico cooperative, at the general annual meeting last week.
There, the cooperative seed potato concern presented the results for the fiscal year 2023/24. Agrico announced that it had grown in the seed potato area, the company said in a statement. The 6% loss in seed potato area last year was compensated for by the acquisitions of the seed potato activities of the Seed and Seed Potato Growers Association Anna Paulowna (ZAP) and The Potato Company (TPC) in Emmeloord. Agrico also grew by 3% in area with 75 new seed potato growers.
Growth abroad
However, Zuidhof notes that the space for seed potatoes in the Netherlands is pretty much at its limit. Agrico is therefore aiming for growth abroad in the coming years, starting in Denmark and Germany. "Further growth is necessary to strengthen the position in the Dutch seed potato market and to continue to be a partner, especially for the Western European potato processing industry. In Denmark and Germany, where we have cautiously started this fiscal year, we aim to grow from 0 to 1,000 hectares of seed potato cultivation within four years. In France, the ambition is to grow from 4,000 to 5,200 hectares in the next five years."
Growth abroad also aligns with the company's revised strategy, Zuidhof explains. "Key points in the new strategy are further growth, especially abroad, but also a quicker phase-out of underperforming potato varieties and sales countries with disappointing turnover figures." Agrico achieved a turnover of €412 million for the fiscal year 2023/2024. This puts the turnover, as well as the previous year, above the €400 million threshold, despite the separation of activities in conventional consumption potatoes to the new cooperative PotatoNext.
Optimistic about the current season
A total amount of €226 million was paid out to the Dutch members. The turnover from seed potatoes was approximately €29 million higher than the previous year, an increase of 9% according to Agrico. The turnover generated by the foreign subsidiaries is 15% higher than last season. This is mainly due to good market prices, the company reports.
It was previously revealed that the payout price for the 2023/24 season is €44.65 per 100 kilograms, about €10 higher than the previous year. The seed potato growers affiliated with Agrico received about €2,100 more per hectare than the previous fiscal year. CEO Zuidhof is optimistic about the payout price for the current season.
