"At the beginning of September, I attended the Potato Europe fair in the Netherlands, where significant data was revealed. For instance, figures released by producing countries indicate that this year will be marked by plentiful production," says Domenico Citterio, co-owner of the eponymous company that specializes in seed and industrial potatoes.
"We're coming off three years of high prices," the specialist points out. "Yields were low, so demand exceeded supply. This encouraged producers to expand their operations, leading to an increase in the area dedicated to potato cultivation. This is contributing to the high production volume anticipated this year. Currently, potatoes are being harvested almost everywhere in southern Europe, while in northern Europe, the harvest is only 25 to 30 percent," he adds.
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.com
"It should be noted that the consumption of potato sticks and chips has decreased by 12% and 8%, respectively. Consequently, companies have decided to harvest approximately 10 tons fewer potatoes per hectare, which will be redirected to the fresh market."
Citterio has been active in the seed and ware potato trade for four generations. "We specialize in selecting seed potatoes, which we import from top companies in Northern Europe and distribute nationwide. We also establish cultivation agreements with select farmers to meet our supply needs in Italy and abroad."
"During the summer, we export new-season potatoes from the best Italian growing areas to Northern Europe. In the winter, we supply Italian packinghouses and processing plants with imported potatoes from Northern Europe," concludes Domenico Citterio.
For more information:
Domenico Citterio e C.
Viale dell'Industria, 1/B, 37036
San Martino Buon Albergo (Verona) - Italy
+39 045 87.80.144
www.citteriopatate.it