Potato markets in the European Union

The European potato market has many different prospects: from table potatoes to processed potatoes for the food and the starch industries. Sixty one million potatoes are produced in the 27 member states of the EU (2005), but the production has been declining since the sixties. This global production data does not display the very different economical and agricultural situations. The main producers are Germany, The Netherlands, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. These 5 Countries represent half of the European production and 87% of intra European trade. Even if the new member states own almost half of the total production area, they are producing only 28% of the total value of the European potato sector. Potato consumption habits are evolving: the main trend is a decline in fresh consumption and a rise in pre-cooked product consumption. This trend is significant in the developed countries of Europe and should be observed in the new member states in Corning years, especially in the countries of Eastern Europe. The food industries are located at the heart of the production areas, mainly in the 5 biggest potato-producing countries. The development of future consumption areas should lead to the establishment of food industry production facilities in the Eastern countries.