More potatoes harvested in Thuringia
An above-average number of potatoes have been harvested in Thuringia this year. Compared to the previous year, an increase of around a third was recorded and the long-term average per hectare was exceeded by six percent, according to the State Statistical Office in Erfurt on Thursday.
On average, farmers harvested just under 38 tons of potatoes per hectare, with the total quantity amounting to 45,100 tons. This is less than half of the 2014 harvest - in that year, the area under cultivation was almost twice as large.
The Thuringian Farmers' Association cited the higher rainfall as the reason for the better harvest. However, according to a spokesperson, the above-average harvest has no impact on prices, as the quantity is far too small to cover demand in Thuringia. Large quantities of potatoes are imported from Egypt, for example.
Despite the above-average harvest, Thuringia still depends on imports for a significant portion of its potato needs, with large quantities coming from countries like Egypt. This year's increased potato yield in agricultural activities across Thuringia has contributing to surpassing the long-term average per hectare by six percent.
Source: www.dpa.com
