New game, new rules Potato Wor ld vision The new potato season started a few weeks ago, the holidays are over, the consumer is back at work, and the farmer is now extremely busy harvesting his crop. This is a long sentence that has a special underlying message. When talking about the table potato market, it is absolutely essential that the chain from grower to consumer becomes more transparent. The majority of the consumers haven’t the faintest idea how potatoes are grown, harvested, stored or packaged. On the other hand, many producers do not know how the consumer values the potato as far as size, taste and natural quality are concerned. The role of the packaging industry in this should definitely not be under-estimated. For the consumer, the last link in the chain is the potato, vegetable and fruit specialist and it is this person who is responsible for the proper presentation of the potato. The potato is, and always will be, one of the most important food elements. It would not be such a bad idea if the agricultural and horticultural interest groups, in collaboration with the potato, vegetable and fruit retail trade, would take this to heart, in order to achieve transparency and broaden knowledge. The 2009 potato harvest in the Netherlands can be characterised by rapid growth in spring and early ripening at a later stage. The high underwater weight this year is a signal to be alert during harvesting and processing if quality is to be guaranteed. With good quality, we can do well in the export market. Quality is also becoming increasingly important in supermarkets abroad, due to the greater range of potatoes being offered. While, in the Netherlands, usually 40-70 mm sizes are being packaged, the export market usually packages larger sizes. Why do we not take 45 mm as the lower limit in the Netherlands? The overall potato market will be healthier, we take approximately 10 percent of the potatoes out of the market and, as a result, the consumer will be happier. This is typically something that the chain should look into. New game, new rules! ● PW-ACTUA NAO proceedings save seed potato sector 330,000 euros At the end of 2004, the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO) submitted a complaint to the European Commission against France for alleged violation of Community law. The fact is that France imposes an extra levy on certified seed potatoes that are imported into France via the seed potato organisation GNIS (Groupement National Interprofessionnel des Semences et plants). This costs the Dutch sector approximately 600,000 euros every year. The French use the income from the levy for the certification and inspection costs of production and marketing in France, and for other purposes such as statistics, information and promotional activities. This levy is a thorn in the flesh of the Dutch exporters, according to the NAO. Although the levy must be paid by the importer, it makes the Dutch seed potatoes more expensive when compared to locally produced seed potatoes. The exporter pays this amount indirectly; moreover a levy has already been paid over these potatoes in the Netherlands. This is why the NAO has started these proceedings. Subsequently, in collaboration with others (among whom Euro MPs), the potato organisation has urged that the complaint should be heard as soon as possible. As a result, the levy was adjusted in 2007 from 13.50 euros per ton down to 10.40 euros per ton. That’s a nice start if one considers that the annual export of seed potatoes to France varies between 40,000 and 45,000 tons a year. It means an annual saving for the exporters of approximately 130,000 euros. However promising this was, it did not satisfy the NAO. The pressure was further increased in the past year. The trade organisation consulted a legal advisor in 2009, for example. As a result of this action, the levy was reduced again as from 1 July 2009 to an amount of 5.65 euros per ton. This provides the Dutch exporters with an extra annual saving of 200,000 euros. The file has not yet been closed. In the meantime, GNIS is now receiving around 330,000 euros less for Dutch seed potatoes. The file has not yet been closed, but the results achieved by the NAO so far are worth a mention. ● Jaap Kodde Managing director, Flevostar B.V. The French seed potato levies are still a thorn in the flesh of Dutch exporters. Potato World 2009 • number 4 7 Pagina 6
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