TRADE AND MARKET I NG Requested: new HDS varieties due to a sharp rise in flakes and granule production selves set more requirements, we can also ask for a higher price. The point is that we also need potatoes of a better quality. Another factor is that half of the cost of producing flakes is determined by the potato. This simply depends on the issue of what percentage of the potato can you use? What plays a role in the production of flakes are factors such as cooking properties, degree of discolouration, and the sugar content and viscosity.’ In pursuit of growers But there’s more to it, Willem van Tilburg as the person responsible for potato purchasing adds to the introduction by Van der Gronden. ‘Because the residual flows that we could obtain from French-fry factories were steadily increasing, we started in 2009 with the search for growers who could supply us with flake-suitable HDM potatoes directly. Before that, we had two varieties in mind: the Aveka and the Novano. We soon saw the advantages of this. The higher purchase price compared with the residual potatoes of the French-fry factories was offset by the advantage of much more efficient processing. Whether you need to dry potatoes with an average underwater weight of 360 grams or 500 grams makes a big difference in energy costs. Previously, we needed 5 kilograms of (residual) potatoes for 1 kilogram of end product and after 2009 we went back to 4.5 kilograms. An additional advantage of this change was more rest, cleanliness and regularity in the total factory process and a better quality end product.’ A higher price for starch potatoes In an annual overview, Van Tilburg shows that direct cultivation has increased tremendously since 2009 from 0 to 200,000 tons in 2016. Since 2014, the volume of direct cultivation has been greater than that coming from middlemen and French-fry factories. And the growth will continue even further’, the buyer predicts. Over the next 3 years Rixona wants to increase its intake of HDM potatoes to 300,000 tons. For this, the manufacturer is still looking for growers, especially in the region of the northeast Netherlands. ‘It’s financially more attractive for them, because the price for flake potatoes is slightly higher than for starch potatoes, but still lower Tilburg. Something might well happen through breeding work, he expects. Another factor that plays a role in the preference for growers from the northeast is that they’re very quick to special‘Over the next 3 years Rixona wants to increase its intake of HDM potatoes to 300,000 tons than for French-fry potatoes. This has made cultivation unattractive for the table and French-fry potato grower up to now. Yield also plays a role here. If you had HDM varieties with a higher hectare yield than French-fry potatoes, then growers on sand and clay soils would naturally also be interested’, says Van ise in the cultivation of flake varieties. ‘Initially, growers were able to store up to week 10, but now it’s already up to week 28, thanks to newly constructed modern storehouses. This changes from year to year, and we’re seeing a really rapid professionalisation in this area. Up to now, we ourselves have been storing ‘Since 2014, the volume of HDM potatoes from direct cultivation has been greater than that coming from middlemen and French-fry factories. And the growth will continue even further’, potato buyer Willem van Tilburg predicts. Potato World 2018 • number 2 33 Pagina 32

Pagina 34

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