Potato News from Asia

Extreme heat in Gangwon Province, South Korea, is damaging potatoes and other crops. Farmers report potatoes rotting in the soil, raising concerns over crop losses and higher agricultural prices ahead of Chuseok.

The 27th China Potato Congress in Hebei unites global potato leaders. Sensitar showcases intelligent processing solutions, boosting efficiency, sustainability and high-value growth across the potato industry.

HyFun Foods and Maersk have inaugurated one of India's largest cold storage facilities in Mehsana, Gujarat. The 260,000 sq. ft. facility with capacity for 14,700 pallet positions strengthens HyFun Foods' cold chain and frozen potato logistics.

Lam Dong, Viet Nam, approved the export of 27,952 potato seeds from 23 breeding lines to India for research. The shipment by the Potato, Vegetable and Flower Research Center supports breeding, variety testing, and potato innovation.

Shri Vibracion Technologies marked its 9th Foundation Day by opening its Experience Center, offering live machine demos, product trials and expert guidance to help customers choose the right material handling solutions.

China has introduced new phytosanitary measures to prevent the entry of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), suspending seed potato import approvals from affected countries and tightening import requirements for planting materials.

Siddhivinayak Agri Processing (SV AGRI) has launched its Starch Recovery Unit (SRU) for potato processors. The system recovers valuable potato starch removes up to 95% TSS reduces ETP load and lowers fresh water consumption by 30% to 40%.

The Potato Project will open its first flagship outlet in Mumbai on 31 July, introducing a gourmet potato-focused QSR concept. Built around white potato, purple potato and yam, the brand plans to expand across India and into international markets.

ITC subsidiary Technico is adding 60 controlled-environment greenhouses to expand its aeroponic potato seed facility, raising TECHNITUBER mini-tuber capacity to 100 million and boosting disease-free seed production for potato growers.

India has notified ICAR-CPRI’s new potato varieties Kufri Abhedya and Kufri Ruby. The varieties offer higher yield, disease resistance and market potential, with Kufri Abhedya benefiting farmers in Himachal Pradesh and other hill regions.

APEDA facilitated Uttarakhand's first frozen French fries export, shipping a 24-tonne consignment from Kashipur to Iraq. The milestone expands value-added potato exports and supports better market access, logistics, and future export growth in India.

Lamb Weston will showcase Snap Fries, Frenzy Fries and Original Mash Cup at WOFEX 2026 in Manila, highlighting potato innovations designed to help airlines and foodservice operators improve efficiency, flexibility and menu differentiation.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo and Kubota developed a drone- and AI-based system to predict potato yields before harvest. Using drone imagery, machine learning, and growth modeling, it enables accurate, non-destructive yield forecasting.

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq hosted the Potato Field Day event, organized by Beirut Erbil Company and Nahar Al-Awraad Company. The event highlighted sustainable potato cultivation, seed potato innovation, potato processing and food security.

Fanidhar Mega Food Park will exhibit at the JFEX 2026 in Tokyo from June 24–26, showcasing premium dehydrated potato flakes and ingredients for snacks, bakery, instant foods, and industrial food processing applications.

Alimento will officially launch its GloryFry potato product line in Bangladesh next week after a year of development. Supported by Planten Agro Ltd., SOLANA Group, and Bonton Foods, the range includes fries, wedges, hash browns, smileys, and nuggets.

Orion will use freshly harvested domestic potatoes from key growing regions across South Korea to produce Pocachip and Swingchip. The company plans to process around 15K tons of potatoes this year and expand Pocachip production capacity by up to 50%.

HyFun Foods has secured INR 1,500 crore (USD 173 million) from Davidson Kempner through a structured credit transaction. The funding will support expansion plans and strengthen the Indian frozen potato processor's balance sheet.