The Coordinator of Agricultural and Livestock Organizations (COAG) has denounced that, as the Spanish new potato harvest hits the market, the large distribution chains continue to flood the shelves with potatoes imported from Israel and Egypt (+80,000 tons in 2024). "A strategy calculated to delay the purchase of the national product, saturate the market, and force down prices at origin. The result: the consumer is forced to make the typical potato tortilla with raw material from the Middle East, while quality indigenous production is in the sacks. "It's not reasonable to find potatoes of Israeli origin in a commercial area of the Campo de Cartagena, with 10,000 hectares planted," stated Alberto Duque, COAG's potato manager.
The main national new potato producing areas (Seville, Malaga, and Campo de Cartagena) have confirmed that there is already enough supply to steadily cover the main distribution chains' demand. "We don't understand why the native potato, which has a quality seal and complies with EU standards, is being pushed to the back of the shelves, compared to imports from third countries. In addition, there is a widespread presence of French potatoes for conservation, which have been harvested since November and have already lost much of their organoleptic qualities after being stored in cold rooms. We are asking consumers to pay attention to the labelling and to demand that supermarkets buy Spanish new potatoes. It is a guarantee of freshness, food security, and the economic and social development of our people," stated Vicente Carrión, president of COAG Campo de Cartagena.
This strategy endangers 4.2 million day jobs in rural areas, COAG stated. It also releases an additional 3,376 tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere due to international transport, the equivalent of the emissions of 10,683 Madrid-Paris round-trip flights, they added.
This organization will inform the National Ministry of Agriculture and the Regional Ministries of Agriculture of the most affected Autonomous Regions of this issue. They will also call on the purchasing managers of the main distribution chains to make an unwavering commitment to national production.
For more information:
COAG
www.coag.org