Nieuws uit Europa

Agristo is investing €350 million (USD 405 million) in a new Hauts-de-France potato processing site, its second-largest facility. Located 120 km from Belgium, the project will create 300 jobs and strengthen its French market presence.

The 23rd EAPR Triennial Conference will bring 300+ potato experts to Edinburgh in 2027 to explore 'Sustainable Potato Production for a Changing World.' Register, submit abstracts or explore sponsorship.

La campaña de la patata en Salamanca afronta un comienzo marcado por la expectativa ante la demanda portuguesa, la incertidumbre del mercado y los desafíos climáticos y sanitarios.

Flikweert Vision says its AI-powered QualityGrader helps potato and onion processors cut labour costs boost processing capacity by 10–20% reduce unnecessary rejects and improve batch insights with VisionCore for faster ROI.

Jensma Agro heeft twee Optica Q optische sorteerders geïnstalleerd om 30 ton per uur aan pootaardappelen te sorteren met minder arbeidsinzet. Het systeem vermindert de behoefte aan handmatige inspectie, verbetert de efficiëntie, verhoogt de capaciteit en ondersteunt toekomstige groei. Er staan nog enkele kleine softwareverbeteringen gepland.

Janine Luten, directeur van de Nederlandse Aardappel Organisatie (NAO), benadrukt dat innovatie, kennisdeling en samenwerking cruciaal zijn om de Nederlandse aardappelsector internationaal concurrerend te houden.

Quintera has demonstrated high yields, stable processing quality and resilience under warm, dry conditions after four years of commercial cultivation, making it a strong processing potato variety for irrigated light sandy soils.

Mousline faced a difficult 2025 with lower sales, crop problems, and lost contracts. The French brand is investing €14 million (USD 16.2 million), expanding exports, innovating products, and launching plant-based spreads to drive recovery.

FAM STUMABO will showcase its latest potato processing innovations at Interpom 2026 in Kortrijk, Belgium, from 29 November to 1 December. Highlights include the new SureTec 240P, STUMABO hydrocutting heads and the Dorphy dicer.

Unilever expects no major job losses in the Netherlands after selling its food division to McCormick. The new company will retain a strong Dutch presence, including Rotterdam headquarters and Wageningen research center, supporting around 1,000 jobs.

British Potato Confex 2026 will take place on 18–19 November at Lincolnshire Showground, bringing together growers, suppliers, processors and industry experts for seminars, networking and exhibitions. Free visitor registration is now open.

PotatoNL reported another sharp rise in potato quotations as drought across Europe slowed early potato growth. Strong demand from processors and uncertainty over the new harvest continued to support higher prices.

La cosecha en Salamanca, pese a la buena calidad de las patatas, se perfila con malas perspectivas frente a un mercado deprimido donde los precios no cubren los costos de producción y la demanda flaquea.

DTS and MTS Foods combine process-engineering expertise with regional customer coordination across India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Met Éireann has issued a potato blight advisory for parts of Ireland, warning that humid weather could favour the spread of Phytophthora infestans. The advisory also highlights limited spraying opportunities and varying soil moisture deficits

Elea Technology has appointed Vassilis Smoilis as Strategic Business Advisor to support the adoption of Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology and expand customer engagement across the food processing industry.

Elea will host PEF Advantage Day 2026 on September 9 in Quakenbrück, Germany, featuring AI-powered PiCon Tools for smarter PEF processing. The free event includes live demos, expert talks, networking, and product testing opportunities.

La campaña de patata en Salamanca comenzó con precios bajos, en algunos casos por debajo de los costes de producción. La alta oferta, la incertidumbre sobre los rendimientos, el calor y el riesgo de alternaria preocupan a los agricultores.