Potato News from Asia

Farmers in India can expect higher yields and profits with the release of a new potato variety, Kufri Lima, developed by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI)

The International Potato Center (CIP) opened its representation in Tbilisi, Georgia on October 11.

Potatoes USA has distributed chip-stock potatoes to four local potato chip manufacturers in Myanmar to conduct product trials.

Georgia is reducing its dependency on potato imports as this year local farmers harvested enough to meet the needs of the local market.

TOMRA Sorting Food has launched two new websites, one in Italian and one in Turkish.

The Government of India is looking for solutions for preventing physical waste and loss of value of perishable agricultural commodities, according to agriculture experts.

The new Aviko Snow Valley French Fry factory in China will be equipped with TOMRA's Eco steam peeler and its newest optical sorters.

In India, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) is starting the production of frozen French Fries in October of this year. They have set up shop in North Gujarat, close to McCain Foods India and Hyfun Frozen Foods

The initial public offer (IPO) of Prataap Snacks received bids for 17.19 crore shares, data on the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) website showed. The IPO was oversubscribed 47.39 times.

Belgium, the world’s biggest potato exporter, hopes to ship in more frozen potato fries to Malaysia via its marketing campaign and collaboration with restaurateurs and fastfood operators here.

Prataap Snacks initial share sale offer was oversubscribed 2.17 times on the second day of bidding on Monday, with still another day to go.

A new potato research institute has been established in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

At Potato Europe, Dutch traders have shown their strong interest to invest in potato farming in Bangladesh aiming to increase the production.

China's Ministry of Commerce has decided to extend anti-subsidy duties levied on potato starch imported from the EU for another five years. This despite the elimination of the EU Quota system for potato starch on July 1, 2012.

In Chennai, India, equipment manufacturer Heat and Control has opened a production facility with a manufacturing area of over 11,800m2 making it one of the company’s largest facilities around the world.

FMCG major ITC will continue diversification into new areas with agri business set to play a key role, as part of its 'India First' strategy under which it aims to create 10 million sustainable livelihoods by 2030, according to company CEO and Executive Director Sanjiv Puri.

Potato growers in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan's second-largest potato-producing region hope to boost their name recognition as a potato producer with a new variety, "Nagasaki Kogane" (Nagasaki Gold), which it filed for registration in 2015.

Taiwan's health authorities will conduct stringent checks of potato suppliers after reports that French fries served at fast food restaurants were found with green patches.