News on Potato Varieties and Seed

Potato is one of the most important and widely grown vegetable crops in Eritrea for its nutritional benefit and a source of income for farmers.

The UK distributor of Algifol is to exhibit at British Potato for a second time and is running a special competition to mark 20 years of representing the seaweed-based biostimulant in the UK.

Since its introduction in 2009, aeroponic technology at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board’s Musanze station has become one of the country's most successful seed potato multiplication methods, transforming production efficiency

Fruit Attraction 2025 (30 Sep–2 Oct, IFEMA Madrid) hosts 2,460 exhibitors (+8.4%), 78,000 m² (+10%) and 120,000 professionals. Key highlights: Innova&Tech growth, Organic Hub Tour, Mexico & Malaysia as guest importers, tomato as featured product.

Cornell marks 160 years of potato breeding, creating 50+ varieties—including top U.S. chip potatoes and nematode-resistant strains. Farmer partnerships and USDA support drive innovation, boosting sustainability and the USD 100B U.S. potato industry.

Biostimulant strategies can help potato crops better cope with field stress conditions, as well as enhance tuber numbers and proportion of marketable crop, according to results of plots at Potatoes in Practice Open Day at the James Hutton Institute.

On August 27, 2025, industry leaders met in the Netherlands for the conference Europe’s Place in a Changing Potato World, co-organised by Potato Europe, Europatat and World Potato Markets during Potato Europe 2025.

Global potato markets face a 'Potato Flood' as production outpaces demand, causing price crashes and farmer losses. Rising output from Europe, Asia, Egypt, Turkey, and new exporters China and India fuels oversupply, worsened by U.S. tariffs on EU fries.

Los productores de papa de la Asociación Frutihortícola y Pecuaria de Ybytymí (Paraguarí), que reúne a 205 familias, alertan sobre una plaga que afecta sus cultivos, amenaza la economía campesina y agrava sus deudas.

EUROPLANT marked major anniversaries by raising €20,000 (USD 21,400) for AGUAPAN, a Peruvian initiative preserving potato diversity crucial for breeding, climate resilience, and global food security.

Agriculture Ministry approves 4 new ICAR-CPRI potato varieties—Kufri Ratan, Kufri Tejas, Kufri Chipbharat-1 & 2—for nationwide cultivation, boosting yields, processing quality & farmer returns, strengthening India’s potato sector.

Kenya nears release of '3R' Late Blight-resistant potatoes after 20+ years of research by CIP & KALRO. Supported by 2Blades, Feed the Future & Simplot, the varieties promise higher yields, disease protection, and improved food security by 2026.

PotatoEurope 2025 set records with 17,268 visitors from 107 countries on Sept 3-4 in Lelystad, Netherlands. Live demos, trial fields, and top innovations like Croptimal’s Croptiscan 9000 highlighted the event. Next edition: Sept 9-10, 2026, Germany.

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.

Both Sichuan’s potato production area and total yield remain among the largest in China. The province’s unique geographic features support year-round planting and supply, delivering strong economic and social benefits.

El gobierno de Colombia lanzó un plan de apoyo para pequeños productores de papa en Nariño, que incluye compra pública a precio justo y apertura de nuevos mercados para enfrentar la crisis generada por el contrabando y los bajos precios.

En 2025, la superficie sembrada de papa en EE. UU. cayó a su nivel más bajo en más de 70 años, con 369.000 hectáreas, aunque los altos rendimientos previstos mitigarán el impacto en la producción total.

The James Hutton Institute introduced two PCN-resistant potato varieties, Malaika and Glen, in Kenya. Developed with international partners, they boost yields, support food security, and meet local farmers’ needs for fast-cooking, low-dormancy potatoes.