News on The Potato Supply Chain from the Americas

El Centro de Innovación Productiva y Transferencia Tecnológica de la papa y otros Cultivos Andinos informó que el sector papero ha reportado crecimiento por quinto año consecutivo.

Report from the UPGC Board of Directors Meeting
held in conjunction with the Crop Transition Conference in Minneapolis

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has expanded the drought emergency declaration to cover nearly half of Washington state due to worsened, poor water supply conditions around the state and warmer and drier weather predictions through the summer.

Kevin MacIsaac, General Manager of the United Potato Growers of Canada offers an overview of the potato situation in Canada based on a Planting Update Call of May 28, 2019: Cold and wet in the East; Slightly behind but dry in the West

Potato Farmers in the Arequipa region in Southwestern Peru are expected to increase the amount of potatoes grown. The local agricultural Ministry is assisting to adjust the amount produced to the demand

President Trump removed the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Friday, May 17. Mexico responded by removing its 20% tariff on frozen potatoes imported from the United States on May 20.

Soggy weather already setting Prince Edward Island potato crop behind. Farmers are hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2018 season.

United States potato exports of frozen, dehy and fresh have all posted modest gains through the first three quarters of the July 2018 – June 2019 marketing year.

Black Gold Farms started harvest of the 2019 fresh crop of Texas colored potatoes earlier this week. According to the company, the first run fields have indicated that the quality will be better than ever.

El Día Nacional de la Papa (que se celebra el 30 de mayo y se instauró a partir de 2005) ha servido para rescatar a nuestras papas nativas de la extinción, destacó la directora ejecutiva del CITE Papa, Celfia Obregón Ramírez.

Las imágenes son sorprendentes. La súper papa tiene el tamaño de una bolsa de 20 kilos. Sin embargo, su peso fue de 3,8 kilos ya que gran parte de este ejemplar era totalmente hueco.

NC State grew the North Carolina sweet potato industry into a global powerhouse. Now we're leading the effort to breed sweet potatoes that could provide economic opportunities and better nutrition for people in African countries. (Courtesy: Bill Krueger)

On May 1, Gary Roth started as the new Executive Director of the Oregon Potato Commission (OPC).

La demanda interna del mercado bordea los 5 millones de toneladas, pero sólo se produce 1.1 millón de t, el resto ingresa por la vía de contrabando e importación.

Papas de la nueva variedad Kawsay se vendieron en supermercados por primera vez este año. Kawsay tiene el potencial de mejorar los ingresos y la seguridad alimentaria de las comunidades, además es de alto rendimiento y gran resistencia al tizón tardío.

In his presentation at the the 2018 Potato Expo, Dr. Chad Hutchinson discusses the benefits of using Chloropicrin in potato production. Chloropicrin increases production efficiency, profit potential for potato growers, and it also improves soil health.

David Douches, a professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and director of the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics Program, has been at the forefront of the potato’s transition as people get more adventurous with their eating habits.

Manitoba’s potato sector is gearing up to supply an expanding industry but seed supplies will be tight after a tough harvest last season. A number of producers are planning capital upgrades to keep up with the rise in demand.