Title: PRODUCTION OF TABLE POTATOES IN EUROPE: A MULTINATIONAL GROSS MARGIN ANALYSIS
Author(s): Pedersen, S.M.(1) + Bizik, J.(2) + Costa, L.D.(3) + Coutinho, J.(4) + Dolezal, J.(5) + Gluska, A.(6)
Organisation: 1-Food and Resource Economics Institute, The Royal and Veterinary and Agricultural University, 2-State Enterprise (RIIRDLE), 3-University of Udine, 4-Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5-Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation
Country: 1-Denmark, 2-Slovakia, 3-Italy, 4-Portugal, 5-Czech Republic, 6-Poland

This paper examines different cropping practices, cost structures and gross margins for conventional table potato cropping in 6 different regions within the European Union: Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia. Findings from this study show that potato cropping practices varies significantly between the various countries with major differences in yield and costs. Italy and Denmark are the two regions with highest gross margins due to high yields and revenues. Poland is by far the largest potato producing country among the 6 countries. However, the production is primarily based on small scale farming with low yields and economic revenues.

Keywords: Table potatoes, gross margins, cropping practices, cost structure.

 

Full Paper