Where in Europe the most potatoes are grown

EU countries harvested 48.3 million tonnes of potatoes last year, 27.9 million tonnes less than in 2000, equivalent to a 36.7% fall. This is reported by Eurostat.

It is pointed out that in the EU countries there is a constant decline in potato production. Many countries are abandoning the root crop in favour of other agricultural crops.

The leaders in potato cultivation in Europe now are Germany, France and the Netherlands. For example, Germany produces 11.6 million tonnes of potatoes annually, or 24% of the EU total. France - (17.9%) and the Netherlands - (13.4%).

Together, however, these three EU countries grow more than 50-55 per cent of the total EU potato crop each year," Eurostat points out.

At the same time, demand for so-called organic potatoes is growing in the EU. Only a small number of farms in the EU grow this kind.

In total, there are more than 9 million farms in the EU, of which about 1 million specialise in growing potatoes. Among those growing this type of produce, only 25 thousand farms declare growing organically. This figure shows that only 2.5 per cent of farms grow organic potatoes. The largest share of organic potatoes is grown in Austria - 25.6 per cent," the statistical office points out.

Organic potatoes are potatoes grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilisers and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They are grown using organic farming methods that aim to maintain and improve the health of the soil, ecosystems and people.