News on Potato Cultivation

The Dutch Potato Organisation celebrated Potato Tuesday on October 6 at Utrecht Central Station during the Week of Our Food. Visitors can enjoy free recipe booklets and discover the people behind the Dutch potato industry.

Idaho’s 2026 potato harvest is showing solid quality but lower yields, with frost, heat, warm nights and wildfire smoke affecting production. Planted area fell to 298,915 acres as growers report smaller crops.

India and Tajikistan are exploring cooperation in potato research, quality seed production and aeroponics technology, with proposed CPRI Shimla visits and training to boost agricultural knowledge and technology exchange.

Pomuni and Deprez mark a partnership spanning generations. From long-standing cooperation to modern automation, their collaboration supports more efficient logistics, increased productivity and continued innovation at Pomuni’s Ranst facility.

World Potato Congress launches the 'Growing the Future' Youth Engagement & 4K Club Program in Kenya, bringing 40 students from 10 schools together to learn potato production, compete in five categories and build a lasting agricultural legacy.

Industry forecasts indicate extreme heat and drought could cut potato production by more than 3.5 million tonnes across Great Britain and NEPG countries in 2026, with losses valued at up to EUR 818 million (USD 937.4 million).

PotatoEurope 2026 and SugarBeet Expo opened in Germany, showcasing innovations for climate-resilient root-crop production. DLG President Paetow highlighted drought, pests, global markets and the need for competitive, sustainable farming systems.

Most Tasmanian potato growers supplying Simplot have signed new contracts after TasFarmers reported an average 2.5 percent price cut, raising concerns over rising production costs and the long-term sustainability of the sector.

Royal HZPC Group highlights how potato breeding can reduce disease pressure and crop protection needs, while Integrated Crop Management and climate adaptation help build more resilient and sustainable production systems.

The 1st International Symposium of Potato will bring together more than 400 professionals in Madrid on October 5, 2026, to discuss potato production, trade, plant health and opportunities across the European potato value chain.

Switzerland is facing a record-low potato harvest after the hot summer reduced production to 20 percent below the six-year average. Domestic potatoes now cover only 70 to 75 percent of demand, increasing the need for imports.

Belgium’s potato crop is shrinking under extreme heat and drought, threatening supplies for its famous fries. Smaller potatoes could tighten availability, raise costs and push up prices across the country’s € frozen fries industry.

WPC 2026 preparations are accelerating in Kenya, with the Farmers Field Day at FreshCrop taking shape alongside new speakers, partners and international registrations ahead of the global potato Congress in Naivasha.

PepsiCo's 2026 Global Agro University brought potato growers and agricultural experts to Germany to share practical knowledge and technologies for improving potato yield, quality, storage, precision farming and production efficiency worldwide.

The National Potato Congress 2026 will bring together the Mexican potato sector from October 14 to 16 in Mexico City to address innovation, productivity, sustainability and commercialization.

Calbee Potato expects Hokkaido’s 2026 processing potato crop to reach 240,000–250,000 tons, with better quality and yields than 2025. Favorable temperatures and rainfall have boosted growth, although heavy rain remains a major harvest risk now.

Finpom highlights northern Finland's advantages for high-grade seed potato production as climate change raises virus risks in Europe, while expanding its EUROPLANT portfolio with LARISSA, JUVENTA, Filipa, FAVOLA and INA.

European potato supplies are tightening as acreage declines and heatwaves pressure yields. France is particularly affected by severe water stress, prompting CNIPT to call for purchasing and sales strategies to reflect current market conditions.