Potato News from Belgium

Europatat welcomes the Farm to Fork Strategy published today by the European Commission. There is a need to secure a fair, healthy, and environmentally-friendly food system, a message that the potato sector fully endorses.

The foodservice demand for potato products has dropped with 50 – 60 % and the export markets have lost their potential, so the world-wide potato-processing industry has reduced their capacity and need for raw material. More than 2 million tons will probably not been processed in the NEPG mainland potato countries only.

Belgians are being called upon to eat fries at least twice a week as more than 750,000 tons of potatoes are at risk of being thrown away.

The Covid-19 global pandemic is having a dramatic impact on day-to-day life, both on a personal level and in the way businesses operate. To enable live demonstrations of its sorting solutions, TOMRA Food is leveraging digital technology.

Last year, despite the difficult growing conditions as a result of the extreme heat and drought during both the 2018-2019 and the 2019-2020 seasons, the Belgian potato-processing industry once again improved the record for processed potatoes.

The three-year campaign, co-financed by the European Commission under the EU Promotion policy, will run until the end of 2022 and is now live online under the hashtag #potatosurprises.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has dealt a blow to a, particularly Belgian market, as the country begins to see declining sales of the humble fries.

Due to a coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 21st EAPR Triennial Conference has been moved to fall. The new Conference date is November 2-6, 2020. Therefore, all key dates have also changed.

Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, regrets to inform that the Europatat
Congress 2020, scheduled to take place on 11 and 12 June in Brussels, will be cancelled following
the escalation of COVID-19 crisis in Europe.

Due to COVID-19 the free market of potatoes has completely collapsed. The PCA/Fiwap and the Belgapom price quotation has been suspended because of a lack of transactions on the free market of potatoes.

Following the Council’s green light to the opening of negotiations for a new partnership with the UK, Europatat has sent a position paper to the EU-UK negotiation team, as well as to the relevant officials in DG AGRI and DG SANTE.

Over the last years, the area for consumption potatoes has been increased with 6,5 % in the 5 leading potato countries. If there is an increase again this year, combined with an average yield the balance between demand and supply could lead to...

Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, is pleased to announce the opening of registrations for the upcoming annual Europatat Congress that will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on 11 and 12 June 2020 at the beautiful Amigo Hotel.

CNIPT, Bord Bia, Europatat and VLAM have launched an inspiring campaign under the title “Potatoes, prepare to be surprised – Europe’s favourite since 1536”.

On January 20, the foundation deed of Belpotato.be was officially signed in Huldenberg. The composition of the Executive Board ensures that there are balances between growers, traders and processors, and between Dutch and French speakers.

Michel Picandet has been appointed Executive Vice President and Head of TOMRA Food. He joined the company on January 1st, 2020 and will be based at the TOMRA Food headquarters in Leuven, Belgium.

Entering a new era in potato storage: Belgapom has formulated its position on how to handle chlorpropham as of the 2020 harvest.

The scale of the global food waste problem is staggering. According to reports, 1.6 billion tons of food are lost or wasted every year, equating to a total value of $1.2 trillion being wiped from the supply chain.