Potato News from Europe

IFCG-Egypt, a prominent player in the frozen food industry, will participate in two of Europe's most prestigious international food trade shows in 2025.

The 2025 Hutchinsons Potato Trials Results Day at Worth Farms, Lincolnshire, showcased key field trials and research to help tackle major potato industry challenges, including PCN, herbicide safety, wireworm, catch crops, blight, and Alternaria.

Fedepom and Europatat have unveiled the final program and speaker lineup for the Europatat Congress 2025, set for 11–13 June at Hôtel Barrière in Lille, France, under the theme 'Potato leaders of the future: deciding under uncertainty.'

Insort and Qcify are joining forces as strategic partners in food sorting and inspection, reinforcing their shared vision of driving technological innovation and automation in food processing through advanced vision solutions.

Fera Science’s Enigma I project is advancing to its second phase, focusing on sustainable wireworm control. Agri-food organizations are invited to join as co-funding partners for tailored research and practical solutions.

Heat and Control®, a world-leading manufacturer of food industry equipment, has announced the acquisition of Tek-Dry Systems Ltd. and Hunt Heat Exchangers, two leading providers of thermal processing and heat transfer equipment.

Biofresh Safestore will celebrate its 21st anniversary at Strategic Potato Storage Day on May 21st, offering a 10% installation discount. The event will highlight potato sprout control technology and recent advancements in energy management.

A unos diez días de que se puedan recolectar las primeras patatas extratempranas en España, el mercado del tubérculo en el país ofrece producto en su mayoría procedente de Francia, Egipto o Israel.

Burgess Farms' new Haith potato wash line, installed in October, has boosted throughput, optical sorting, and efficiency at Sutton Bridge. The investment enhances quality, flexibility, and sustainability, supporting the farm’s growth.

Lutosa, the Belgian producer of frozen potato products, is about to complete an investment in Waregem worth more than 200 million (USD 216 million). 

Preparations for PotatoEurope 2025 are underway at Wageningen University’s Lelystad site. Alegria potatoes, known for high yield and disease resistance, are planted. The event on Sept 3-4 will showcase innovations in harvesting and cultivation.

The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 127.1 points in March 2025. Declines in cereals and sugar price indices offset increases in those of meat and vegetable oils, while the dairy price index remained stable.

Emerald Research Ltd (ERL) and a leading potato grower in South West England have won an eighteen-month Innovate UK project to tackle the ever-growing problem of wireworm damage in potatoes.

KeyGene's new potato variety, developed using the 2S1® graft hybrid technique, combines Pimpernel's drought-resistant skin with Bintje's high yield. This breakthrough offers faster, cost-effective breeding for sustainable crops.

Swiss technology group Bühler has acquired advanced puffing technology from Cerex to enhance its offerings for food, petfood, and feed applications. The acquisition, announced on 16 January, 2025.

The Fresh Potato Suppliers Association (FPSA) was established in 2009 to represent the fresh sector of the potato industry bringing together fresh packers and suppliers to retail.

El director general de Producción Agrícola y Ganadera ha destacado la labor del Centro de Control de Variedades Vegetales Agrícolas de Albillos en la certificación oficial de patata de siembra, que, durante 2024, supuso la realización de 6.800 análisis.

Greenvale’s Golden Kings launched ‘Move Over Maris’ with Great British Chefs to promote climate-friendly, high-yielding potatoes needing less irrigation and pest control, urging consumers to switch varieties.