Potato crop 2005 at 20 tons per acre smallest in years

GENUM - The potato crop in the Netherlands is expected to have the smallest yield in years, a drop of 18 percent from last year. Throughout Europe, yields are lower, especially for potatoes used to make french fries. Because of the large yield and low prices last year, farmers did not plant the same acreage this season. Farmers put about 175,000 acres in potatoes this year, the smallest area in years as well. Because of the low yield, prices are expected to be higher than last year.