Potato News from Europe

Arable farmers in Britain are bracing themselves for a rough ride this summer as the unpredictable weather takes its toll on crops throughout Britain.

Monitoring and addressing slug control issues will be discussed at this year’s South East Potato Day to be held at Brookland Village Hall, Romney Marsh, Kent on June 27.

Potato Council has recruited an exciting new team of growers to act as ‘Potato Ambassadors’ and inspire the nation to eat more potatoes.

Irish agribusiness are being offered financial and political support to set up in Africa.

The following is a commentary published this week in Nature, on the GMO situation in Europe, focused on potatoes:

PepsiCo Iberia apuesta por la recuperación energética de sus aguas residuales mediante un proyecto pionero que las convierte en biogás, permitiendo reducir hasta un 5% el consumo energético de la planta. El proyecto, recientemente implantado en la plan...

The 21st annual Chip Week has been hailed a success! A review of the 2012 campaign, run by Potato Council, reveals the Week encouraged enough media interest to reach every adult in Great Britain more than 2.5 times, providing opportunities for increase...

Falling pizza sales have prompted frozen food giant McCain Foods to stop producing pizzas in the UK, with the potential loss of around 40 jobs. The company produces McCain Pizza Fingers Cheese &Tomato for retail trade as well as pizza products mad...

On 10 and 11 May, processing equipment manufacturer Tummers Methodic from Hoogerheide successfully organised two open days. Hundreds of specialists from the food processing industry at home and abroad marvelled at the largest Hex Polisher in the world ...

Polish Potato Starch manufacturer Pepees has made an offer to buy shares of Trzemezno, another Polish Potato Starch manufacturer. According to a release by Wojciech Faszczewski, CEO of Pepees, an offer for 90.40% was submitted June 5, 2012.

Bayer CropScience will have two new products available for potato growers in two to three years' time, subject to approval.

Growers have been urged to think more about promotion and place to drive demand for differentiated potato products, instead of focusing on product and price.

British potato growers are being warned of a potential increase in slug numbers as soil temperatures rise sharply following the recent rainfall across parts of the UK.

The blight fungicide containing Initium and dimethomorph, Zampro DM, has had reduction of tuber blight incidence added to its label, in addition to the control of late foliar blight.

TOMRA acquires Belgian sorting machine producer BEST Kwadraat NV for EUR 138m TOMRA Systems ASA (TOMRA), through its fully owned subsidiary TOMRA Sorting AS, has on May 31, 2012 signed an agreement with the owners of technology manufacturer BEST Kwadr...

Potato prices in Great Britain continue to rise as more new crop supplies come to the market.

This year’s packed agenda at the Midlands Potato Day will include practical in-the-field discussions on topics such as soil compaction, fertiliser application and the opportunity to see the George Moat Tillerstar on the land.

With the 2012 International Potato Processing and Storage Convention just over a month away, more top-class speakers have been added to the programme to ensure the event will offer added value to delegates. Opening proceedings on the speaker programme...