News on The Potato Supply Chain from Belgium

---->Update 2017-01-26: This News Item has been withdrawn by the KU Leuven.....
8,000 native potato varieties of the International Potato Centre (CIP) in Peru will soon join the banana collection of the University of Leuven.

Jan van Luchene of Bruwier Potatoes, a Belgian company specialized in acquiring and delivering the potatoes you need offers his view of the current potato market in Belgium and Europe.

On the January 1, 2017 the RUCIP European Committee secretariat will be effectively transferred from Paris to Brussels. From the same date a new set of Rules and Practices of the Inter-European Trade in Potatoes (RUCIP) will also start to apply.

The official NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) harvest estimation has been adjusted downward to 24.551.000 tons, which is 3 % lower than last year and 3,6 % than the 5 years average.

The 18th edition of the Interpom | Primeurs once again set a new record with 19 938 visitors from no less than 55 different countries, illustrating the growing interest for this event far beyond the Belgian borders.

Dewulf, specialist in harvesting technology for potatoes and carrots, introduces the Kwatro Xtreme as a solution for growers who plant in 4 x 90 cm rows or 1800 mm beds.

As a result of the late potato harvest in the North-western European countries (BE, DE, FR, NL, UK), the potato growers organisation NEPG has decided to postpone publication of its annual yield estimates till the third week of November.

Als gevolg van de late aardappeloogst in alle NEPG landen (BE, DE, FR, NL, UK) is besloten om de bekend making van de officiële NEPG oogstverwachting cijfers uit te stellen naar de derde week november.

Finally, potato growers in Belgium can relax a bit. At last the weather conditions were in their favour and they could start the harvest

INTERPOM | PRIMEURS, the leading indoor trade fair for the potato, vegetable and fruit sector in Europe, shows strong growth in 2016, featuring 310 exhibitors and all stand space fully booked.

Starting from the 2016 – 2017 season, the Belgapom quotation will be made up of three parts, each supplemented by their own market sentiment: Bintje, Challenger and Fontane.

Agricultural machinery manufacturer AVR presents its new option on the Puma 3 during Potato Europe and the Aardappeldemodag: the All Conditions Control or in short the ACC.

Potatoes are the second largest cultivated crop in Belgium and a key ingredient in Belgian cuisine. It's the base of the world-famous French fries, and is considered by Belgians as part of their national pride.

Interpom | Primeurs 2016 promises to be the biggest edition of this potato event ever and the 2016 theme is: 'Growing through precision technology'.

Stories about large losses in harvest in the Belgian sector due to the heavy rainfall are circulating in various media. But Romain Cools of Belgapom says it is too early to come up with a percentage.

In early June, AVR bvba - manufacturer of agricultural machinery for a.o. the potato sector - officially opened its new production facility in the presence of Governor Carl Decaluwé, Mayor Kris Declercq and Roeselare Aldermen Marc Van Walleghem, Nathalie Muylle and Griet Coppé.

The first common event of Freshfel Europe & Europatat took place this week: “Doing something good to yourself and to others will be the driver for the purchasing decision of fresh-produce customers”, concluded the associations.

Europatat appoints a new board, including Jos Muyshondt as President, Domenico Citterio as vice-president and Gilles Fontaine as treasurer.