News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Europe

Branston South West GM Jonathan Taylor will retire in March 2026 after nearly a decade leading major growth and £9m upgrades at Ilminster. Simon Jones, a long-serving operations leader, takes over to drive capacity, sustainability and innovation.

Albert Bartlett partners with Kate Hardcastle MBE to revive Britain’s love of potatoes. Their ‘Make Mealtimes Matter’ campaign promotes spuds as affordable, nutritious staples amid rising living costs.

Royal HZPC Group has finalized the acquisition of IPM Potato Group, following the initial announcement made in October 2025. With all required conditions now fulfilled, IPM officially becomes part of Royal HZPC Group.

'Maris Piper has had its day; or has it?' That was the provocative title of a GB Potatoes debate at the British Potato Industry Event, where industry leaders discussed whether the long-standing variety still has a place in modern potato production.

The NAV Working Group for Potatoes for Consumption (WCA) has again estimated the cost price for the coming season (2026). In recent years, from the 2022 harvest through 2025, potato growers have faced a significant increase in cost prices.

Spain’s sweet potato supply is low due to weather, keeping demand and prices high. Marta Guerra’s nursery continues growing plants, noting rising consumer interest, strong Spanish quality vs imports, and ongoing water challenges.

Scientists decoded a haplotype-resolved potato genome and GWAS of 141 accessions, identifying StTST2, a tonoplast sugar transporter. StTST2 boosts photosynthesis, sugar accumulation, source–sink transport, and tuber yield via interaction with SUT2.

Table potato variety Country is attracting growing interest in the German market. The need for a stress-resistant, high-yielding variety with good skin quality prompted Böhmer to start trials with Country in 2023.

M&S has partnered with Suffolk-based Home Farm Nacton, based on the historic Orwell Park Estate, to bring customers across the UK new variety celebration potatoes for the festive season.

In Ukraine, demand for niche vegetable crops is growing noticeably, most notably for sweet potatoes and asparagus. These observations were shared in a market review of the magazine 'Gardening in Ukrainian'.

Egyptian sweet potatoes are gaining ground in Europe as demand rises. Short transit times, lower costs, and better storage boost supply. Dutch production struggles with low yields, while growing consumer interest and ready-to-eat trends drive market growth.

SolEdits and Lyckeby have developed CRISPR-edited potatoes with storage-stable starch, removing the need for chemical modification. Once allowed in the EU, this innovation can save 5,000 tonnes of chemicals yearly in Sweden and up to 75,000 across the EU.

Potato Demo Day 2026 will be held on 2 September 2026 in Westmaas, focusing on knowledge sharing, innovation, and networking. New highlights include the Startup Square and live demos, alongside key programs like the Young Farmers Program and Knowledge Barn.

Agrico Ukraine’s dream becomes reality! Premium potato varieties Ranomi and Alouette are now available in Silpo, Novus, and Metro stores. A proud milestone powered by teamwork, strong partnerships, and hope for Ukraine.

Royal HZPC Group posts a strong 2024/25: revenue €525 M (USD 603 M), tonnage 1 M+, net profit €17.1 M (USD 19.8 M). Growers get €10.90 (USD 12.5) dividend. New varieties excel in French‑fry, chips, export and fresh markets, with acreage expected to grow further.

The classic Austrian potato variety 'Sieglinde' makes a comeback thanks to Priska and Erich Stekovics, who revived this nearly 100-year-old favorite. Now available again under SPAR as organic waxy potatoes for €1.99 (USD 2.15) at SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR.

Project Oppotunity completed the first CRISPR-Cas field trials of starch potatoes bred for late blight resistance, with test plots in Sweden and Denmark. Early results indicate stronger disease resistance and a very promising path to resilient crops.

The 'Ultimate Roast Potato' named after a much-loved film character is back on shelves after high demand. Branston says deliveries of its Nemo potato will rise 87 % this season versus 2024, bringing faster-cooking, great-tasting roasts to more homes!