Potato News from Asia

In a meeting on January 6th, the Ministry of Agriculture of China announced plans to double the total area of land devoted to potato cultivation from just over 5 million hectares to 10 million hectares.

On the opening day of the India International Potato Expo on Thursday, Dr BP Singh, director, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, said potato played an important role in the nutritional security of the country.

Domestic potato production in India in the present Rabi season is likely to be 25-30 per cent higher over last year on account of good weather conditions.

McCain Foods India is expanding its distribution network as well as improving availability of its products throughout the country.

McDonald's Japan is to only sell small portions of fries starting December 17, in response to the french fry shortage in the country.

After earning high profits last year, potato growers in India are selling the crop at a small margin this year.

Restaurants in Japan are rushing to secure supplies of french fries after shipment delays from the US, with one chain readying to airlift 200 tons of fries.

Balaji, one of the largest regional potato chips and snacks brands in India, will soon move into the production of French fries and other frozen potato specialty products, according to Chandu Virani, MD of Balaji Wafers.

The Indian food processing sector is likely to grow at the rate of over 10 percent from 2015 onwards as a result of increased investment from private sector, according to a study.

Global Foodservice Sales Reach US$2.6 Trillion in 2013

Farmers in Bangladesh's Thakurgaon region harvesting early variety potatoes are making good profit this season.

Primero fue Europa y los Estados Unidos. Le siguió Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Esta semana lo hizo Asia y próximamente África. Los investigadores de todo el mundo están formando redes para combatir al tizón tardío, una de las enfermedades más devastadoras de la papa. Conozca cuáles son y que están haciendo para liberar al mundo del flagelo.

ConAgra Foods, Inc., joined with distinguished local and regional government dignitaries to celebrate the grand opening of its Lamb Weston potato processing facility in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia.

Integrated food packaging and processing solutions provider, tna, has launched the tna intelli-weigh® 0328 omega multi-head twin scale at Gulfood Manufacturing.

McDonald’s today announced that it will open restaurants in Kazakhstan in 2015, in conjunction with a local developmental licensee, Kairat Boranbayev.

Danish potato starch manufacturer KMC presents its range of specialty starches at Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai from November 9 - 11.

Last month, in recognition of his years of leadership, potato specialist Dr. VanderZaag was awarded China’s prestigious Friendship Award by Premier Li Keqiang.

TOMRA Sorting Food will exhibit its popular Genius modular sorting system at Gulfood Manufacturing, the largest food processing exhibition for the Middle East, Africa and Indian Sub-Continent.