Potato News from the Netherlands

New discovery will lead to faster and more focused potato breeding

Wageningen University & Research experts in plant pathology, cell biology and physics have found an answer to the question of how members of the Phytophthora genus mechanically gain entry through the protective layer on the leaves of crops.

Last week, after 15 years, Nele Cattoor left the Belgian fruit and vegetable sector. She's taking on a new challenge. Nele was the Belgian Vegetable Processing Sector Union, Vegebe's general secretary.

Wageningen University & Research has conducted research into the resilience of the agricultural sector. How do farmers keep in step with their environment? Examples include the changing weather conditions, climate change and government policy.

It's a good season for import potatoes in the Netherlands. More people are cooking at home. That's undoubtedly contributing to this, as are the 'old' potatoes deteriorating quality.

The potato growers of Royal Avebe participating in the Optimeel growing programme have been awarded Gold status according to the FSA 2.1 standard of the global platform SAI for sustainable agriculture.

As plantings for the 2021 potato crop in North-western Europe is wrapping up, it seems very probable that total potato area within the NEPG zone (EU-04) will be reduced by 3 to 5 percent.

Last weekend Royal Avebe processed the last potatoes of the 2020/2021 campaign at the production site in Gasselternijveen. The campaign went according to plan and Avebe is satisfied with the quantity and quality of starch potatoes delivered.

The supply of certificates from HZPC has reduced slightly but is still significant. This was demonstrated today during the potato breeder HZPC Holding B.V.'s half-yearly trading day.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) has developed a five-step approach that could help food producing companies create effective sustainability programmes together with supplying farmers.

Today, the Supervisory Board of Royal Avebe announced that David Fousert will be appointed as the new chairman of the Board and CEO as of 1 September. He succeeds Bert Jansen who is leaving the cooperative after 13 years. Currently, Fousert is COO of ForFarmers.

Recently, APH Group and Solidtec agreed on cooperation in marketing, sales, and service in Central- Eastern Europe, Turkey, and the whole of Asia. Solidtec, a member of the Manter Group from Holland, develops and produces state-of-the-art palletizing machines.

Last month HZPC Holding B.V. announced to stop with the business activities of Solentum B.V. Pessl Instruments GmbH will take over some of the products of Solentum B.V. as of May 1, 2021.

There seems to be little hope for an imminent agreement between the EU and the UK on mutual trade in seed potatoes. If no agreement is reached, there is a good chance that the export of seed potatoes from EU countries to the UK will be resolutely closed on 1 July.

With the publication of the sustainability report 2019-2020, leading potato processor presents its ambitious Sustainability Agenda for 2030

On the third Thursday of April, the first potatoes for the PotatoEurope harvesting demonstrations were planted under ideal weather conditions. By pressing the start button, acting mayor of Noordoostpolder Jan Westmaas sent autonomous implement carrier Robotti on its way to plant the first potato.

Averis Seeds B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Avebe, will be working together with the hybrid potato breeding company Solynta on the hybrid breeding of starch potato varieties.

The PotatoEurope organization has started preparing the potato trial fields at the event location near the central Dutch city of Lelystad.