Potato News

HyFarm honoured Farmer Champions at its second Paathshala Convocation in Gujarat, India. The initiative has reached over 6,000 potato growers, reducing cultivation costs by 10–12 percent and irrigation water use by 30–35 percent.

Indian potato processor Iscon Balaji Foods showcased its Hungritos range and introduced Everlast CrispX fries at SIAL Paris 2026, highlighting longer crispness for delivery and takeaway while exploring overseas export and private-label opportunities.

VAVI has appointed Aviko’s Dick Zelhorst as its new chairman, succeeding Stephan van Kuik. He will focus on strengthening the Dutch potato processing industry, sustainability and sector competitiveness.

EUROPLANT is expanding its presence in the UK with a new subsidiary led by James Paice, strengthening partnerships, seed potato sales and variety licensing while introducing new potato varieties INA and FILIPA to the British market.

The Potato Company (TPC) will host its Potato Show from 4–6 November 2026 in Emmeloord, the Netherlands, showcasing new varieties and presenting the 2026 TPC Awards to breeders of Havana and Riva.

FrietHoes celebrates a major milestone as the first fries roll off the production line at its new factory in Nieuw-Vennep, the Netherlands, following months of construction, installation and preparation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Banas Dairy's expanded French fries plant at Sanadar, Banaskantha, Gujarat, raising capacity from 2 to 5 tonnes per hour with a ₹51.65 crore investment in India's potato processing.

Swiss food processing equipment company ZEEN Tech won the Gold Award and Equipment and Technologies Award at SIAL Innovation 2026 in Paris for its Fried in Water technology, designed as an alternative to oil frying with potential use in potato chips.

INTERPOM 2026 will bring 332 exhibitors from 15 countries to Kortrijk, Belgium, from November 29 to December 1, focusing on potato industry resilience, market challenges, innovation, water management and the future of potato processing.

MTS Giesenberg has installed two Flikweert Vision DIVIDER Select optical sorters at its Arizona potato operation, using industrial cameras and AI to remove stones, clods, foreign objects and extreme defects.

McCain has put plans for a French fry factory in Mehrum, Germany, on hold, citing rising project costs, overcapacity in processed potato products and weaker demand in key European markets.

Flo-Mech is now offering its new Flo-Flavour On-Demand Slurry System for snack and coated product lines. The system features gravimetric dosing, continuous mixing and automated powder and liquid integration. Now available for on-site customer trials.

FAM STUMABO will showcase its Centris 400 and SureTec 240 cutting machines at Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 in Dubai, highlighting precision cutting, improved yields, reduced waste and automation solutions for food processors.

Royal HZPC Group researches the nutrient needs of potato varieties to develop tailored fertilization recommendations. This aims to improve yield and quality while reducing fertilizer use and environmental impact through data-driven insights.

Ellips added four Elisam potato grading installations across North America in 2026, using True-AI technology to grade potatoes by size, shape, color and defects while improving throughput and consistency.

SINOBAKE is expanding its Shunde manufacturing base with a RMB 500 million project covering food processing lines, packaging, palletizing and intelligent automation to support integrated potato snack and food production systems.

Tolsma-Grisnich introduces Optica S, an optical sorter that removes stones, clods, soil and crop defects before storage. With capacities up to 80 tonnes per hour, it improves storage efficiency, reduces waste and boosts returns for growers.

Urschel will showcase its new Little Gem Aspire Dicer and precision cutting equipment at CIBUS TEC 2026 in Parma, Italy, October 27–30, featuring live demonstrations and solutions for efficient food processing.