Potato News from Europe

Marieke Hoste, VAVI's new director, will make her first Potato Demo Day visit, highlighting collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing. She says the Dutch potato sector can tackle policy, sustainability and market challenges together.

Emsland Group’s SBTi-validated targets aim to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50.4% and Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030, from a 2018 base year. The company also targets net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2045.

European seed potato multiplication area fell 1.6% to 105,155 hectares in 2026, according to ESPG data. Germany recorded slight growth, while the other major producing countries and several leading varieties saw declines.

GB Potatoes has opened applications for its 2027 Potato Industry Development Programme. The three-part programme covers potato production processing research and agricultural policy across England Scotland and London.

Optimum Sorting's laser technology detects hidden defects, foreign materials, wet centers, soft rot and solanine in potatoes, fries and chips, delivering high-precision sorting with 0.3 mm resolution and up to 3,333 scans per second.

Ellips will present five True-AI grading solutions at Potato Europe 2026, September 9–10 in Springe, Germany, addressing labor shortages, quality demands and capacity challenges in potato and onion grading.

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 installed two Optica Q optical sorters to grade 30 t/h of seed potatoes with less labour. The system cuts manual inspection, improves efficiency, increases capacity and supports future growth, with minor software improvements planned.

Janine Luten, Director of the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO), says innovation, knowledge sharing and collaboration are essential to keeping the Netherlands a global leader in potatoes while tackling labour, sustainability and regulatory challenges.

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.