News on Potato Varieties and Seed from the Netherlands

On Thursday, September 14, 2023, potato breeder Royal HZPC Group B.V. became a target of a form of cybercrime. A large amount of money was transferred to a bank account of criminals.

Dutch innovative hybrid potato breeder Solynta announced that Peter Poortinga will join the company as Chief Executive Officer as per September 15.

Solynta's potato variety was the only one to survive the high late blight pressure in the field among three other commercial varieties planted alongside.

Agrico, Nedato and Leo de Kock announced the name of the new, independent cooperative of common consumption potatoes: PotatoNext. This joint cooperative marks an important milestone in the potato industry and will be the result of a close collaboration between the three renowned companies.

You may think of a seed as tiny and insignificant. Don’t be fooled: its impact on global agriculture is immense. The seed industry is constantly balancing innovation with bringing value to growers.

Robert Voskamp of the Dutch company Rola Fresh said that he has never seen the potato market this hot.

Potato breeder HZPC expects turnover to grow 11% from last year (then EUR 352 million (USD 386 million)) with a gross margin of EUR 66,5 million (USD 73 million) (last financial year EUR 63.9 million (USD 70 million).

Potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption. But potato world production is threatened by potato late blight

The Dutch company Altena Potatoes received its first full truckloads of Santé potatoes.

Growers learn best from other growers. This has been proven by the future-proof seed potato cultivation project, an initiative to examine upcoming changes in potato cultivation with a group of growers.

Potato cooperative Agrico started its 50-year anniversary in a festive mood. Throughout the year, Agrico will organise various events for growers, members, buyers and employees.

The new HZPC potato variety Rashida is a true all-rounder. Underneath the good looks, there is a robust variety that copes well in all conditions. And that makes growers, packers and consumers happy.

In Northwestern Europe (EU-04; NL, DE, BE, FR) the potato sector is facing a range of issues in the upcoming months. The million dollar question: How will the potato market respond? An analysis by the NEPG.

Potato coop Agrico announced that Peter Oldenkamp will become director of Agrico Research starting August 1, 2023. He succeeds Sjefke Allefs as director. Sjefke Allefs has worked at Agrico Research since 1990, in the position of director for the past 24 years.

On occasion HZPC's 125th anniversary on February 27, 2023, Drs. A. A. M. Brok, Commissioner of the King of the Province of Friesland presented potato breeder HZPC with the certificate for the predicate Royal.

The board of the NAK has appointed Nancy Rietbroek as operational director. From March 1, 2023, she will start working at the NAK.

Solynta – hybrid potato breeding technology company from The Netherlands and FreshCrop Limited, Kenya’s largest producer of seed tubers, have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of hybrid true potato innovation in Kenya.

Potato Cooperative Agrico held its annual central members’ meeting, during which the financial statements of 2021/2022 were explained, and the members looked ahead to the new harvest year.