The storage of this year's onion harvest is coming to an end and the main potato harvest has also been completed in the Freiburg area. "We were very satisfied with the early potato harvest this year. With the storage potatoes, however, we had massive problems with wastage and rot, which is why we had to move a significant part of the stock out. Across all varieties, I would even describe this year's storage potato harvest as the worst in 20 years ", says Andreas Kopf from the company that is based in Bad Krozingen.

Meanwhile, marketing is proceeding relatively quickly, says Kopf, who as a service provider supplies regional food retail headquarters and wholesalers. The current high price level for storage potatoes is currently justified. "I would classify the demand for regional potatoes as quite good. In week 40, the demand was even slightly higher, especially in the discount sector. Due to the quality problems and other troubles, domestic marketing is almost impossible at this time."

'Market not weaker than in a cheap year'
With a total of around 40 hectares, the Freiburg region is relatively small when it comes to onion cultivation. Kopf: "The storage is now almost complete and the quality ranges from very good to quite challenging. It feels like the yellow onions are a little better in quality than the red ones, although we can only really analyze this afterwards." He points out the negative trend that is going on in regional onion cultivation. "In contrast to developments in the Rhineland and western Lower Saxony, onion cultivation is becoming less important in our region. Many producers have stopped growing these goods in recent years."

Overall, according to Kopf, marketing year 2023 got off to a fairly good start. "In the spring we were afraid that the reluctance to buy would have an impact on the market this year too. However, customers seem to be increasingly accepting the higher prices. In my opinion, the market is no weaker now than in a cheap year, quite the opposite."

Convenience goods on the rise
In order to continue to exist on the market in the future, Kopf took the plunge into processing twelve years ago. This branch of the company, called Markgräfler Potato Processing, quickly established itself in the following years. "The shortage of staff in the catering and communal catering sector is driving up the demand for corresponding convenience products. Accordingly, we have steadily expanded both our capacities and the product range in recent years. In addition to potatoes, onions and vegetables, we now also offer a wide range of fruit products. When purchasing, we pay particular attention to the regional origin of our raw materials."

The differentiation of the range of products and seamless service are crucial. "You can score points in this segment with special types of cuts and customer-specific items. We also supply many of our customers directly. Our customers are located within an 80 km radius, but our focus clearly lies on the immediate neighborhood."

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com