Potato News from Europe

Freezing temperatures around Ireland over the past week has damaged many early potato crops.

Patatas Meléndez, la empresa vallisoletana líder en el sector de la patata fresca, lanza su campaña de patata nueva nacional. Así, se adelanta con la patata temprana y la pone a disposición de los consumidores en toda su red de distribución retail (supermercados y su propia tienda online).

Due to the positive response and over-subscription of virtual meetings, Bühler has decided to keep the Bühler Virtual World open at least until the end of May. Over the three days, more than 12,000 people from 132 countries visited the digital platform, around 500 private meetings are ongoing.

Comienza la recolección de patata en la provincia de Sevilla, principal productora de Andalucía, un sector que genera unos 70.000 jornales anuales.

Para apoyar su consumo, se pone en marcha un concurso en redes sociales cuyo premio es el equivalente al peso de todos los miembros de la familia en kilos de este producto.

Un total de 25 tiendas y 20 agricultores se han sumado a la campaña de la Diputación de Palencia para fomentar el consumo de patata de la provincia y apoyar a vendedores y cultivadores para dar salida a este producto que no se ha podido comercializar debido a la covid-19.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is to study wild potato varieties for resistance to a wide range of potato-diseases and plagues. This broad approach should yield breeding material that can be used to develop disease-free potato varieties.

GIC, which designs and manufactures vertical form fill and seal machines, has seen orders more than double year on year.

The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 165.5 points in April 2020, down 5.7 points (3.4 percent) from March and the lowest since January 2019.

In just six weeks, Bühler transformed its physical interpack program into a fully digital experience. It has certainly been a very steep learning curve for the company, but one that will give Bühler’s partners and customers access to new services.

Leading UK potato and vegetable handling equipment manufacturer Tong Engineering has announced the appointment of a new Quality Manager: Denzil Phillips

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.

Two of the most respected and well-known agricultural machinery manufacturers have announced a strategic collaboration for the UK and Ireland.

AHDB’s announcement that it is consulting on the future of the Sutton Bridge Crop Research Station, and on potato storage research more broadly, should worry every potato grower in this country.

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.

La recolección en la Axarquía, que es la primera comarca en iniciar la cosecha, se desarrolla con normalidad y sin falta de mano de obra.

La siembra ha quedado temporalmente suspendida por las lluvias persistentes de las últimas semanas, forzando a que se hayan escalonado, lo que supone una ventaja conveniente de cara a la comercialización de la patata.

Los productores de A Limia han colocado ya un millón de kilos en la plataforma de Mercaproximidade.