News on Climate Change

ENGIE Refrigeration has developed a storage system based entirely on mechanical refrigeration, which allows maintaining the same storage conditions throughout the year.

During the annual potato variety show at Agrico the topic of discussion was not limited to unique varieties on display. The impact of the excessive heat and drought this season on the seed potato market was also a hot topic.

The total potato harvest in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France in 2018 will be at least 20 percent lower than last year, according to the latest estimates of the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG).

Snacks and beverages manufacturer PepsiCo plans to invest $5 million by 2020 to expand its sustainable farming programme in India.

Por la sequía en Francia. Son las nuevas víctimas del calentamiento global.

According to a survey by Bio Kartoffel Erzeuger e.V., the organic potato yields in Germany have not dropped as much as the conventional ones

In this interview, Marc Van Herreweghe, the new Chairman of Belgapom and CEO of Mydibel, discusses the challenges this Belgian Potato Association faces going forward, as well as sustainability issues and problems related to recent weather conditions.

Customers of McDonald's in Europe might find that their favorite fries are shorter than usual. Blame the weather: smaller potatoes result in shorter fries.

The problem for North Carolina’s sweet potato farmers is knowing whether the drenching rains unleashed by hurricane Florence will have the same effect as being inundated by a flooded pond or creek. Some sweet potato fields received as much as 30 inches.

Dutch potato starch manufacterer Avebe has announced that the advance payment for potatoes delivered is being increased to 67 euros a tonne and that the full result of the cooperative will go to the members.

Brent Bucks of knife manufacturer FAM explains how potato chips processors can increase revenues despite the low quality crop

The heatwave in Germany is also affecting the harvest of potato varieties needed to make potato chips. Due to the extraordinary weather conditions, the potato chips will be smaller this year.

The Emsland Group, a potato processor with seven production plants throughout Germany, explains the supply challenges they are faced with as a result of the extreme drought in Germany and other parts of Europe.

Nearly one-third of the world’s farms have adopted more environmentally friendly practices, while continuing to be productive (sustainable intensification), according to a global assessment by 17 scientists in five countries.

The warm and dry weather of recent months has caused a commotion in the potato sector in Northern Europe. This is why representatives of both the Dutch and Belgian potato sectors came together to discuss the situation and to voice their concerns.

The North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) conclude that the potato production this year in North-Western Europe will be much lower than average and that quality issues will be a main challenge.

Research at the James Hutton Institute has identified genetic variations which can help protect potato crop yields at high temperature, potentially providing potato breeders with a valuable tool in their quest to create varieties resilient to heat stress

The extreme heat and drought is a disaster for the upcoming potato harvest. And for processors too: in Belgium, potato chips manufacturer Roger&Roger (Croky) temporarily halts production of some its flavours to manage the lack of potato supply.