News on Irrigation from Europe

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).

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.

David Rodgers, growing potatoes in normally lush and fertile North Co Dublin says the unprecedented conditions over recent weeks – from an exceptionally cold spring to a record-breaking hot summer – have forced his potato plants into “shutting down”.

The German Association of Fruit, Vegetables and Potato Processing Industry (BOGK) expects that the potato harvest in Germany and Europe will be significantly reduced in quantity, as well as quality compared to the previous year due to the long ongoing drought and heat wave.

Check out the five products nominated for the Potato Europe 2017 Innovation Award. Until Monday September 11, noon, you can still vote for your favorite!

In Belgium - and also in the Netherlands - drought has taken its toll on the early potato harvest. But for the main crop (for storage) a lot depends on the coming weeks and the month of August.

Anyone travelling to PotatoEurope in Emmeloord by car on 13 and 14 September 2017 will have much more convenient access to the event than in previous years.

Christian Cerezo, estudiante de la Universidad de Burgos, se ha alzado con el Premio que PepsiCo activa anualmente entre universidades de toda España. El galardonado disfrutará de un premio en metálico de 3.000€ así como de una semana de visita y formación en el programa agrícola de PepsiCo Iberia.

To support UK Potato Growers in decisions regarding irrigation and water use, AHDB Potatoes (Potato Council) has published a best practice guide 'Irrigation and water use'.

“The major troubles faced by the potato producers in Bulgaria were connected with irrigation,” said Ventsislav Kaymakanov, chairperson of the National Association of Potato Producers

Despite one of the most challenging years in British farming history, with early droughts followed by widespread floods, PepsiCo surpassed the target of a one-third reduction in water use using drip irrigation at the same time as growing 'more crop per...

Smartphone App to predict potato yield PepsiCo and Cambridge University have joined forces to introduce mobile technology to crop planning, with a new smartphone app that will help farmers predict future harvests.

Potato growers in the UK could save money, boost yields and help the environment through a new irrigation benchmarking tool.

Irrigate with the right amount of water, at the right time, in the right place, growers were urged by Dr Jerry Knox at the well-attended Potato Council East of England day (September 1, Tuddenham, Bury St Edmunds). Improved water efficiency may not ne...

The rising cost of irrigation was one of the topics discussed at the East of England Potato Day in Suffolk last week. The cost of applying water to potato crops is rising fast and has doubled since 2005, according to Jerry Knox of Cranfield University...

In the future, plant breeders may be able to develop potato varieties that are better able to withstand long drought spells than the currently grown varieties.