Malta’s Potato Prices Fall, as Exports Dwindle

Maltese farmers are distressed to find themselves unable to export their potato harvests because of the COVID-19 crisis. “The farmers are desperate. This isn’t something they handle overnight but they actually invest months of their time and a lot of money,” head of farmers’ Environmental Conservation Organization Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi, Malcolm Borg, told Times of Malta.

Farmers spend thousands of euros to tend to their crops for around half a year. With around 500 tons destined to be sold overseas, demand and logistics to export the crop have been severely hit since the virus outbreak began in mid-March.

Maltese potatoes would normally generate around EUR2m per year for local farmers, and while a sack of 25 kilos would sell for EUR12, this year they are going for half that price.

With few options to sell the bulk of the crop, farmers are looking into ways to get rid of it, such as turning it into animal feed.