UK potato demand picks up ahead of Christmas
With the UK harvest completed and potatoes now in storage, sources have reported an increase in market activity. Packers are preparing for the seasonal potato demand uptick leading up to Christmas. The Expana Benchmark Price (EBP) for English white potatoes stands at £330/mt after the assessment on November 27, down 3% compared to last year.
In recent weeks, a wide range of prices have been reported to Expana for both White and Maris Piper potatoes in Scotland and England. Some of the prices heard this week reached as high as £370/mt for English Whites and £350/mt for Scottish Whites, with Maris Piper potatoes for both regions at similar levels to the whites. According to a market source, “some growers are still holding onto their stocks, expecting prices to climb to £400/mt”. Reasons for the large price spread come down to the quantity purchased, with larger blocks costing more to secure, and some packers procuring specific varieties in large quantities which is also attached to a premium price.
Lower output and high prices weigh on Turkish sultana exports
Turkey exported an estimated 47,000 tonnes of sultanas between September 1-November 16, a decrease of 27% y-o-y according to data from the Aegean Exporters’ Associations (EIB). This follows lower production during the current 2024/25 campaign and buyers’ hesitance to lock into long-term contracts at the current high market prices.
“Demand is very quiet. People look at cover only until February/March to see what is going on,” a UK-based trade told Expana. Another trader noted, “The market is extremely quiet right now both in terms of supply into packers from farmers and on large inquiries from customers”.
Turkey produced an estimated 236,000 tonnes of dried grapes during the 2024/25 marketing year, an increase of 14% y-o-y but still significantly less than the 5-year average (265,000 tonnes between 2020/21 and 2024/25).
The Expana Benchmark Prices (EBP) for standard type 9 sultanas (RTU quality, FOB Izmir) rose 2% in the four weeks to Nov. 20, to $3,625/MT, up 42% y-o-y. Tight supplies in Turkey continue to support the market. Recently, price pressure from poorer quality material sold at high prices in the Turkish local market provided more support to prices.
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Written by Nick Wood
