The wholesale price of a tonne of potatoes has now reached 600 euro. This is even more than last year’s record high price. Christophe Vermeulen of the potato industry federation Belgapom confirms that prices are currently exceptionally high. With bulk potato prices at an unprecedent high this could mean a further rise in the price of Belgium's favourite fast food, a portion of chips.
Do high potato prices mean that a portion of chips will become more expensive in Belgium?
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The bulk market price is the price paid by those purchasing very large quantities of potatoes such as buyers from companies that produce chips, other potato products or ready meals. The reason why potato prices are so high in Belgium at the moment is the poor weather during the spring.
The very high rainfall meant that many potato fields could not be harvested and the plants simply remained in the ground. This has resulted in lower volumes of potatoes being available on the market.
Belgapom fears that the price per tonne could rise to 650 euro in the coming week. That would be an all-time record in Belgium. Buyers in Belgium that have a contract with a farmer or a large agricultural company are currently only paying around €280 for a tonne of potatoes.
Christophe Vermeulen says that the high price on the bulk market does not mean that potatoes will necessarily become more expensive in the shops. "This is a different type of potato." However, the price of a portion of chips at a chip stall or at a snack bar could rise again in the short term as chip shops and snack bars primarily buy their potato sticks from wholesalers who buy their potatoes on the bulk market.