Russia’s 2026 potato harvest is expected to reach around 8 million tonnes, down from approximately 8.5 million tonnes in 2025, according to Alexey Krasilnikov, executive director of the Potato Union. About 5.7 million tonnes had been harvested at the time of the interview, with roughly a quarter of the crop still in the ground.

Despite the expected volume, lower wholesale prices do not always translate into lower retail prices. According to Krasilnikov, the gap between average producer and retail prices has at times reached two to three times.

Russia faces an estimated shortage of 2 million tonnes of potato storage capacity. A lack of modern facilities with adequate temperature and humidity controls forces some growers to sell immediately after harvest, when market supply is highest, and prices are under pressure.

The Potato Union has proposed long-term contracts covering 80% of supplies within agreed price ranges, with the remaining 20% purchased on the spot market. Prices would be reviewed quarterly. The proposal has been discussed with government ministries, but no concrete measures have followed.

Russia imported around 450,000 tonnes of potatoes last season after duty-free import quotas were increased twice by 150,000 tonnes. Imports are expected to decline this season. Egypt is a major supplier, while China supplies the Far East and parts of Siberia, and Belarus is another important source. Seasonal imports remain relevant in spring and early summer, when stocks from the previous harvest run low.

Seed potatoes remain another supply concern. Russia’s commercial sector requires around 750,000–800,000 tonnes of seed potatoes annually. Of approximately 530 registered varieties, about half are Russian-bred and half foreign-bred. However, foreign-bred varieties dominate the leading commercial group, which accounts for around 60% of production.

Dependence is particularly high in processing, where foreign-bred varieties account for 90–95% of the raw material used for French fries and crisps. The import quota for seed potatoes was reduced from 12,000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes this season. Around 3,000 tonnes had been imported at the time of the interview.

Restrictions affecting phytosanitary certification have limited supply channels from the Netherlands and Germany, raising concerns about access to high-quality seed material. Growers are also facing higher labour, irrigation, machinery, fuel, and spare-parts costs.

Source: rg.ru