Spanish supply welcome, but unlikely to meet demand

Customs delays also impact on market.

A LEBANESE supplier says the arrival of Spanish new potatoes is set to enrich a market that, for months, has been supplied with imported storage potatoes from France, as well as fresh potatoes from Egypt, whose off-season exports to Spain have been rapidly gaining ground.

However, supply won’t meet demand until mid May according to Kiko Navarro, a sales representative in Spain for Askar Go Fresh, which trades between Spain and the Middle East, therefore prices are likely to rise.

“It all depends on the weather. Last year, for example, it rained during part of May and June, so potatoes were imported until July,” he said in a recent interview with Fresh Plaza.

He added: “This year, the measures implemented to prevent the entry of the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum at customs are causing delays and hold-ups, which are leading to an increase in the price of potatoes, as such costs must be reflected in the final price.”

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