News on Potato Varieties and Seed

Improved potato seeds distributed to farmers in Dubarwa, Eritrea, are delivering strong yields and showing resistance to pests and diseases. A total of 160 quintals of seed potatoes were planted across five hectares.

Hansen Farms in Rupert, Idaho, is preparing for its September 14 potato harvest as summer heat affects crop quality and water concerns grow. The fourth-generation farm grows seven potato varieties across about 60 fields.

PotatoEurope 2026 will bring together around 290 companies on September 9 and 10 in Springe, Germany. The trade fair will be held alongside SugarBeet Expo and will highlight innovations in machinery, digitalization, automation and artificial intelligence.

Harinder Farms participated in the 2nd Punjab Potato Growers Kissan Mela in Mullanpur Dakha, Punjab, showcasing seed potato varieties and engaging with farmers on variety selection, crop care, agronomy and market requirements.

European seed potato multiplication area fell 1.6% to 105,155 hectares in 2026, according to ESPG data. Germany recorded slight growth, while the other major producing countries and several leading varieties saw declines.

India’s potato industry needs a stronger seed ecosystem to close its productivity gap. Scientific seed multiplication, digital agronomy and market-aligned varieties can improve yields, reduce risks and build a profitable supply chain.

Surrey’s Ugly Potato Day set a Guinness World Record by donating 246,528 kg of fruits and vegetables in 24 hours. The event attracted 30,000 people and brought together 25 farms to reduce food waste and support local communities.

Janine Luten, Director of the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO), says innovation, knowledge sharing and collaboration are essential to keeping the Netherlands a global leader in potatoes while tackling labour, sustainability and regulatory challenges.

Quintera has demonstrated high yields, stable processing quality and resilience under warm, dry conditions after four years of commercial cultivation, making it a strong processing potato variety for irrigated light sandy soils.

Lam Dong, Viet Nam, approved the export of 27,952 potato seeds from 23 breeding lines to India for research. The shipment by the Potato, Vegetable and Flower Research Center supports breeding, variety testing, and potato innovation.

Productores de Ybytymí y General Bernardino Caballero denuncian que la reducción de la provisión de semillas del MAG dejará fuera de la siembra a más de 400 agricultores y reducirá el área de cultivo de papa en el departamento.

China has introduced new phytosanitary measures to prevent the entry of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), suspending seed potato import approvals from affected countries and tightening import requirements for planting materials.

North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission and Rootsii are developing a first-of-its-kind sweetpotato milk from surplus crops. Backed by USD 1.82 million funding, the sustainable dairy alternative aims to reduce waste and create new markets for growers.

EFC Plants is expanding its integrated seed potato platform in Egypt, combining G0 mini-tuber production, tissue culture, molecular diagnostics and technical support.

Un estudio del CIP/WPC concluye que la zona andina tiene una oportunidad clara para ampliar el procesamiento de papa, sustituir importaciones y agregar valor local, pero para lograrlo deberá desarrollar variedades adaptadas a la industria, fortalecer el acceso a semilla de calidad y mejorar la colaboración entre investigación, productores, semilleristas y empresas procesadoras.

ITC subsidiary Technico is adding 60 controlled-environment greenhouses to expand its aeroponic potato seed facility, raising TECHNITUBER mini-tuber capacity to 100 million and boosting disease-free seed production for potato growers.

The UK has approved PiperPlus, the first precision-bred disease-resistant Maris Piper potato. Developed by The Sainsbury Laboratory, it resists late blight, PVY and PLRV, reducing fungicide use and supporting more sustainable potato production.

India has notified ICAR-CPRI’s new potato varieties Kufri Abhedya and Kufri Ruby. The varieties offer higher yield, disease resistance and market potential, with Kufri Abhedya benefiting farmers in Himachal Pradesh and other hill regions.