Preliminary data from the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture indicates the potential for a potato harvest in 2025 that could be the most substantial in over two decades. The anticipated yield stands at approximately 13.4 million tonnes, representing a 5.3% increase compared to the already robust harvest of 2024 and a significant 17% above the multi-year average. The last comparable harvest occurred in the year 2000.
This promising outlook is bolstered by an expansion in cultivated area, which has risen by 6.7% compared to the previous year, now totaling 301,000 hectares – marking the largest area dedicated to potato cultivation since the turn of the millennium.
Contributing to the potential record yield is the expected productivity per hectare, forecast at around 44 tonnes on average. This figure is slightly below the exceptionally high yields seen in 2024 (a decrease of 1%), but still surpasses the multi-year average by nearly 5%.
Favorable vegetative conditions throughout 2025 have significantly contributed to this positive forecast. Following a sufficiently wet winter, a warm and dry spring allowed for planting operations to proceed under excellent conditions and in a timely manner. While some regions experienced periods of drought, the ability to irrigate crops where feasible mitigated potential losses. The rainfall that began in July provided vital moisture replenishment, despite a concurrent rise in disease pressure.
The projected abundance of potatoes is already impacting market dynamics. Producer prices for early potatoes in 2025 began at notably lower levels than in previous years. Current prices for standard potatoes are approximately one-third lower than those received by producers in 2024. Consequently, consumers have observed price reductions of around 15% on standard potatoes in supermarkets compared to August 2024.