News on Food Trends from Europe

The <strong>FAO Food Price Index</strong> averaged 196.6 points in August 2014, its lowest level since September 2010. In August, the index registered its fifth consecutive monthly decline, down 7.3 points (3.6 percent) from July and 7.9 points (3.9 percent) from August 2013.

HZPC has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Rungis for its Perupas specialty potatoes.

The FSA (Food Standards Agency) has published the results from its latest study looking at levels of the process contaminants acrylamide and furan in a wide range of UK retail foods.

Around 10,000 potato professionsals from more than 60 countries visited PotatoEurope 2014 at the Rittergut Bockerode estate near Hanover.

Today at the Stockholm International Water Institute's annual World Water Week, PepsiCo announced the company's latest Water Report and unveiled Hydro-BID, a tool that estimates the availability of freshwater in water-scarce regions.

The Dewulf group has reached a preliminary agreement for the acquisition of Miedema, the one to go to for development and production of modern technology for storage, sorting, transport and planting of potatoes.

The number of McDonald’s Corp.’s restaurants that are either being shut down or inspected by the Russian consumer regulator has grown steadily over the past several days as tensions between Moscow and the West intensified after Kiev accused Russia of invading Ukraine.

HZPC has decided to end its participation in HZPC Sverige AB (Sweden, Billdal). Reason for the decision is insufficient profitability, caused by the slow modernization of the Swedish Seed potato market

HZPC heeft besloten om zijn deelneming in HZPC Sverige ab (Zweden, Billdal) te beëindigen. Reden is de onvoldoende rendabiliteit, die wordt veroorzaakt door de trage modernisering van de Zweedse pootaardappelmarkt

Belgapom is partnering with research institutions to developed a platform to increase the efficiency of potato production, combining data from drones and satellites.

As Potato Council and the GB seed potato sector prepare for next months’ Potato Europe event in Germany, recent export statistics confirm that GB seed potatoes continue to be in demand around the world, with the 2013/14 figures revealing a new seed exports record from Britain.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 203.9 points in July 2014, down 4.4 points from a revised value in June and 3.5 points below July 2013. While meat prices rose for the fifth consecutive month and sugar remained firm, sharp declines in grains, oilseeds and dairy quotations pushed down the FAO Food Price Index to its lowest level since January 2014.

Vladimir Putin has banned the import of agricultural goods from countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia in a tit-for-tat move that deepens the economic standoff between the Kremlin and the west.

Mydibel Group, manufacturer of fresh and deep-frozen potato products and dried potato flakes and granules, has invested in the construction of 2 ha of photovoltaic panels - the largest industrial solar field in private hands in Wallonia

The Potato Demo Day is an easily accessible event for the Potato Sector. The programme is implemented at limited costs and in cooperation with participating companies from the sector.

Administrators at O'Hara & Co have managed to tie up a pre-pack deal for Holme Farm Produce safeguarding jobs and the future of the business.

Experts from the UK and India are working together to identify and develop novel environmentally-sustainable strategies to control plant pests, known as plant-parasitic nematodes to ensure global food production and security.

El Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario, NEIKER-Tecnalia, entidad pública dependiente de la Viceconsejeria de Agricultura, Pesca y Política Alimentaria del Gobierno Vasco, está investigando actualmente los genes de patata que mejor se adaptan a las condiciones previstas de cambio climático, caracterizadas por una disminución de la lluvia y temperaturas más extremas de calor y frío.