Cavendish Farms buys breeding rights 'Prospect', an eco-friendly potato variety

Cavendish Farms has purchased the breeding rights for "Prospect", a potato variety it says is suitable for French fries and good for the environment.

It's the first time the Prince Edward Island company has bought the rights to an entire variety of potato. That means Cavendish decides who can grow the potato, which was developed on PEI.

"This variety was very good for processing, very good for growing and very good for the environment,"Blaine MacPherson, vice-president of Cavendish Farms, said Friday.

He was speaking at an event called Research Day in New Annan, where more than 70 varieties of potatoes were on display.

Cavendish hopes farmers start to switch to the Prospect variety.

The company said it is better for the environment because farmers use 35 per cent fewer nitrates per acre to grow it than the Russett Burbank, the current king of potatoes.

One of the sticking points for processors has been getting fast food restaurants to accept them.

MacPherson said the Prospect is overcoming that hurdle. The fast food chain Wendy's recently became the first major customer to buy the Prospect potatoes.