By the middle of January, the inventory level on farms totalled 124 million kilos of food potato. This is 16 million kilos more than in the previous January, which is mainly caused by a better harvest and an increase in cultivated area. However, the inventory level of food potato has lowered more rapidly than in the previous year. From the middle of October, the inventory level of food potato has decreased at a monthly rate of 32 million kilos.
Inventories at an average level

The inventory level of food potato varies from year to year according to the cultivation area, harvest levels and exporting. In recent years, potato has been exported particularly to Russia and, therefore, the decrease in inventory levels in Finland is also affected by the harvest and inventory situation in Russia and the rest of Europe. For example, in 2010, the harvest level was low due to drought, and potato was exported to Russia in high volumes.

Last summer, the cultivation area of food potato increased by 410 hectares on the farms covered by the statistics compared with the previous year, even though a general slump in the processed potato industry reduced the total area of food and processed potato by 613 hectares. In addition, the harvest level was better than the year before. As a result, the inventory levels of potato were already higher in autumn than in the previous year.

Potato cultivation and storage have been strongly centralised within the regions covered by the Ostrobothnian Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY). In mid-January, up to 75 per cent of all food potato in Finland, i.e. 93 million kilos, was located in the storage of Ostrobothnian potato farms. When processed potato is added to the statistics, the balance of potato in the farm inventory was 149 million kilos, i.e. 27 million kilos more than in the previous year.

According to the preliminary information from Tike’s crop production statistics, last year’s food and processed potato harvest was a total of 398 million kilos, which is 3 million kilos more than the year before. The number was mostly increased by an improvement in harvest and a general growth in the food potato industry.

According to the statistics of Finnish Customs, a total of 1.5 million kilos of potato was exported in October–November, mainly to Russia. The exported volume corresponds with the average level of 1–2 million kilos over the previous four years. An exception is the winter of 2010–2011 when the exported volume was unusually high, i.e. 12 million kilos. According to Evira, a total of 19 million kilos of food potato was exported outside the EU between 1 July 2011 and 31 January 2012. The export balance has returned to the level of harvest year 2009. The information is obtained from export statistics reported on countries outside the EU.

Background to the statistics

The survey covers farms that grow food and processed potato in areas exceeding 2 hectares. The data on farms which cultivate food and processed potatoes and their production areas was obtained from the data system of the administrative body of rural industries. In 2011, there were 822 farms meeting these standards with a total farming area of 13,261 hectares. The statistics do not cover Åland.

The survey sample covered 399 farms that were asked to provide information about their inventory balance in mid-October and mid-January. The response rate in the January survey was up to 97 per cent.

A table of the statistics divided between the full country and ELY regions will be released in the Matilda agricultural statistics service at the Food potato storage statistics site. You can also order the statistics, which are published twice a year, to be sent to your e-mail address free of charge through this link.

Additional information:
Tike, Statistical Services
Anna-Kaisa Jaakkonen,tel. +358 20 77 21 374,
E-mail address format: firstname.lastname@mmmtike.fi