Food potato stocks in mid-October totalled 200 million kilograms, 24 million kilograms lower than the previous year. This is the third time that Tike – the Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry – has published statistics for on-farm food potato stocks in Finland.

The decrease in food potato stocks compared to the previous year is explained by a decrease of 459 hectares in the total land area used for potato cultivation and the fact that average potato production per hectare decreased from 31 to 28 tonnes due to the dry summer. Exports have also been above last year's levels in the early autumn. This past autumn (August–September) food potato exports totalled 2,5 million kilograms, of which 1 million were exported to Russia. It is expected that exports will continue to be brisk.

Northern Ostrobothnia grew in significance due to a municipal merger
Ostrobothnia is a key region in the production of food potato and processed food potato cultivation, which is evidenced by the fact that 66% of the farms surveyed are located in the area of the three Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in Ostrobothnia. The statistics also reflect the effect of the municipal merger that saw Himanka – known for its potato production – merge with Kalajoki and thereby move from Ostrobothnia to the area of the Northern Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. The land area of the former municipality of Himanka includes 700 hectares of land used for food potato cultivation and 60 hectares of land used for processed food potato cultivation. As a result of the merger, Northern Ostrobothnia solidified its position as the second most important region in Finland for food potato production. Nevertheless, Ostrobothnia remained the clear number one in potato production.

Survey of food potato stocks covered all potato farms over 2 hectares in size
The information on farms that cultivate food potato and processed food potato and their respective cultivated land areas was collected from the agricultural administration's information system. The survey of food potato stocks was carried out in mid-October and covered all farms cultivating food potato and processed food potato on a total land area exceeding two hectares. According to the survey, the total number of farms cultivating food potato and processed food potato is 940, with a total cultivated land area of 13,874 hectares. The Åland Islands were not included in the survey due to the fact that potato cultivation there is focused on processed food potato production (such as chips).
 
The survey of food potato stocks is based on a sample of 400 farms and was carried out in conjunction with the crop survey. The response rate was 83%, covering approximately 80% of the area included in the survey.

More information:
Registrar Anna-Kaisa Jaakkonen, Tike, tel. +358 20 77 21374
e-mail: firstname.lastname@mmmtike.fi