Potato News from Europe

All over the world, huge quantities of crop protection agents are sprayed to control potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). European researchers find out more on the ongoing battle between the plant and its invader.

Come and visit Scott at the PPMA Show in Birmingham, stand H50 in Hall 5, from Tuesday 26th - Thursday 28th of September. They will be presenting their complete portfolio of palletising solutions and latest case studies, including the new generation palletiser PAL 4.0 range.

The European seed potato industry has a long history of producing and supplying high-quality planting material to European and overseas growers.

After the Trade Mission in India joined by Prime Minister Mark Rutte last week, Tummers Food Processing Solutions was honored to welcome Minister Liesje Schreinemacher to Tummers Food Processing Solutions.

Jersey Potato exporters were able to negotiate a better price from UK supermarkets this year to help cover rising costs but blight and poor weather meant it was still a difficult season.

Potato Europe 2023, recently held in Tournai, Belgium, became more international than we saw in the past years. Visitors from all around the world visited the event to see the latest European potato technologies.

On Thursday, September 14, 2023, potato breeder Royal HZPC Group B.V. became a target of a form of cybercrime. A large amount of money was transferred to a bank account of criminals.

Restrain, the world’s leading provider of ethylene-based sprout control solutions, has announced the appointment of Dr. Benedikt Cramer as its new Managing Director, while current MD Dirk Garos will take up the new role of Strategic Director.

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has welcomed confirmation from DEFRA that exports of seed potatoes from Scotland to Northern Ireland can restart from September 30, but has reacted with disbelief that the UK Government hasn’t raised the issue of exports to the EU since March.

Serenade is a biological fungicide based on a living bacterium derived from nature. In extensive trials, Bayer identified a number of positive effects on the potato crop.

Dutch innovative hybrid potato breeder Solynta announced that Peter Poortinga will join the company as Chief Executive Officer as per September 15.

The last 4 months was not easy going for the potato production in the NEPG region. But despite the difficult weather conditions, first yield estimates suggest a return to multi-year averages, with an estimated harvest of around 23 million tonnes of potatoes.

The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 121.4 points in August 2023, down 2.6 points (2.1 percent) from July, reversing the rebound registered last month and pushing the index as much as 38.3 points (24.0 percent) below its peak reached in March 2022.

Princesa Amandine will participate in Fruit Attraction (from October 3 to 5 at IFEMA Madrid) and can be found at the stands of three of its partners, Udapa (10G06, hall 10), Ibérica de Patatas (5E06, hall 5) and Campotec (8C08, stand Portugal Fresh 2023).

Visitors to Potato Europe, the outdoor exhibition for potato cultivation and machinery (Tournai, Belgium, 6-7 September), were the first to see in action the latest-generation TOMRA 3A sorting machine.

The 2023 edition of Potato Europe took place in Kain (Doornik), Belgium, last week. There, the full-liner in potato cultivation machines unveiled innovations in its product lines for both planting and storage.

Veg of Lund continued its international expansion plans and launched the DUG brand plant-based milk in Germany, Poland, Japan, and Italy.

New E-series reel irrigators from Bauer have several improved features to make operation and maintenance easier while maintaining the product’s outstanding reputation for strength, performance and durability