Drought Threatens German Potato Production

Northern Europe is battling an unprecedented drought this summer, and German potato producers are feeling the burn. The country’s potato industry says production will be greatly affected by the current heat wave, with yields forecast to drop by a whopping 25 percent from last year. Germany contributes 19.5 percent of the EU-28’s total production, making the region vital for the potato industry.

This could mean trouble for the global french fry industry because the quality of the potatoes will also be affected by the drought. Potato production for fries requires a certain size and quality potato to please consumers. In addition to slashed production, the drought will also affect transportation of products, with waterways being too low to support all fully-loaded ships. Gro Intelligence subscribers can access production and weather data to stay current with developing industry news and implications.