Welcome to Potato Europe 2018, welcome in Germany!
In Germany, potato cultivation takes place on more than 29,000 farms with a combined area of about 250,000 hectares. The total includes approximately 20,000 small producers with less than five hectares of potato cultivation, with the remaining 9,000 farms growing larger areas of the crop.
On average, Germany producers 10 to 11 million tonnes of potatoes annually, making it the largest potato producer in the European Union (EU).
This sector generates an estimated value added return of more than
€ 3 bn each year through sales of three main income streams:
food, industrial and seed potatoes.
These dimensions underline the importance of the potato sector in Germany – and the industry’s important position the EU – yet, on average, the German potato crop only accounts for about two percent of the country’s farmland.
Potato: an important role in world nutrition
The challenges facing the industry include preserving the value and diversity of the potato as a food in the consciousness of society. Hopes for positive developments on the demand side were realized in 2017 when an increase in consumption reversed the declining trend for the first time in many years. This needs to be expanded at all levels, whether through a strict quality program or attractive marketing and communication concepts. The scope for promotion is large, considering the potato has high nutritional content and are water efficient.
As the fourth most important staple food globally, after rice, wheat and corn, with total production of about 380 million tonnes, potatoes are grown on about 20 million hectares. The potato has the potential to be part of the solution to current issues in world nutrition.
The PotatoEurope 2018 trade fair is organized by the DLG with the support of UNIKA. More information is available from Dr. Wilfried Wolf at the DLG by Tel: +49 (0) 69 247 88 272 or Email: w.wolf@DLG.org
Information is also available online at www.potatoeurope.de