News on Potato Cultivation from Prince Edward Island

The World Potato Congress will host a webinar on Dec 10, 2025, where Dr. Christine Noronha shares research showing how crop rotation reduces wireworm damage in potatoes, highlighting her innovative pest management advances and key field results.

Prince Edward Island researchers are testing the Weed Zapper, an electric tool offering a chemical-free alternative to herbicides. The 2-year study aims to cut costs, limit weed spread, and support sustainable pest management in horticulture crops.

P.E.I. potato farmers face major crop losses as drought grips the island. With only 10% irrigated land, yields are falling below average. Farmers like Andrew Lawless expect 30% losses, warning climate change demands urgent investment in irrigation.

Cavendish Farms is launching a sustainability project on Prince Edward Island to help potato growers adopt eco-friendly practices, focusing on water use, pest control, and soil health. A farm advisory group will guide research and share results with local farmers.

Chad Hutchinson of TriCal Group joins the World Potato Congress Inc. Board as a Director. A global expert in potato research and soil health, he brings decades of experience supporting growers and advancing crop production worldwide.

P.E.I. launches a buy-back program for potato wart index fields to combat the fungal disease. It aids farmers, protects land, and boosts trade, with over USD 40M spent since 2021 on wart control efforts.

PEI celebrates the 2nd International Day of Potato, honoring its historic role and global impact. With innovation and sustainability, Island farmers grow 2.6B lbs yearly - feeding over 25 million people and securing the future of this vital crop.

Celebrate the International Day of the Potato on May 15, 2025, with a global webinar hosted by the World Potato Congress! Discover how this vital crop drives food security and rural resilience through expert insights and global case studies.

HZPC Americas Corp. has announced the addition of a new Business Development Manager, Sean Davenport, to its team's efforts in North America. The team at HZPC Americas is continuing growing!

The PEI Potato Board recently welcomed a 15 member delegation from the
Philippines.

Last month, the North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) projected the US 2023 potato crop to come in at 429.6 million hundredweight (cwt), more than 37 million cwt more than last year's unusually small crop.

A scientist from Prince Edward Island has issued a challenge to Island farmers: Guess the yield of a potato field grown using only fertilizer left over from last year's crop.

As of July 1, 2023, total Canadian Potato Storage Holdings are reported to be down 34.9% over 2022 numbers for the same period, and lower than the 3-yr. average.

The potato crop in Canada is in varying stages - from emergence to touching between rows. Potato growers everywhere are optimistic for the good growing conditions needed to move this crop in its early life stages.

As of June 1, 2023, total Canadian Potato Storage Holdings are reported to be down 3.3% over 2022 numbers for the same period, and higher than the 3-yr. average.

Steve Watts from Genesis Crop Systems Inc. along with six farmers participated in the Living Labs Atlantic project to test out a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, also called enhanced efficiency nitrogen.

New numbers from the P.E.I. Potato Board show that on Prince Edward Island the acreage of cover crops grown before potatoes has doubled.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists have discovered that selenium, a micronutrient and anti-oxidant activates genes in potatoes that boosts the plant's immunity and helps in the prevention of late blight.