For nearly 80 years, the British market absorbed almost 100% of Mallorca’s potato production. However, after Brexit, the sector quickly adapted, expanding its markets and securing new trade destinations across Europe. This adaptability has been key to maintaining production stability and securing the future of the sector.
Yet, the current global economic climate is now threatening this trade stability. The new U.S. economic policies have generated international uncertainty, affecting trade relations and triggering a chain reaction that directly impacts the agricultural sector.
A shifting trade landscape
Europe plays a key role in exporting processed potatoes to the United States, but major exporters have begun to reduce their contracts with farmers for industry-specific varieties as a precautionary measure.
“This trend threatens to destabilize the sector across Europe, as the reduction in contracts for industrial processing could push these potatoes into the fresh consumption market instead,” explains Joan Mateu, CEO of Mateu Export.
Compounding these economic challenges is the growing regulatory pressure on phytosanitary treatments. Farmers are subject to stricter regulations, making both production and commercialization more challenging.
Restrictions on certain phytosanitary products have not been met with viable alternatives, leaving farmers with limited resources to manage pests and diseases, threatening the long-term sustainability of their farms.
“Finding a balance between phytosanitary protection and economic viability is an urgent challenge that requires immediate solutions to prevent the loss of competitiveness in a crop deeply rooted in our land,” explains the executive of Mateu Export.
In Mallorca, farmers have been forced to reduce planted acreage due to the lack of suitable phytosanitary products. This year, the reduction has been around 10% compared to last year. Despite this, yields have been exceptional, and plants are developing under optimal conditions. The island is expected to produce approximately 27,000 tons.
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The spring harvest typically begins in the last week of March, and so far, everything is proceeding as expected, thanks to favorable weather in January and adequate rainfall.
Another major challenge for the sector is competition from countries like Egypt and Turkey, which benefit from certain trade advantages within the EU.
These non-European producers not only enjoy favorable export conditions to Europe but also maintain strong market presence in Russia—a market from which European producers, including French and Belgian farmers, have been excluded.
While European producers have lost access to Russia, Egypt and Turkey have capitalized on the situation, expanding their market share and creating unfair competition for European growers, including those in Mallorca.
A positive development is that the sector has successfully recovered from the seed shortages that hampered production in past years. The introduction of new potato varieties has helped secure seed supply and ensure the continuity of the crop.
