News on Potatoes for processing

Belgium’s potato crop is shrinking under extreme heat and drought, threatening supplies for its famous fries. Smaller potatoes could tighten availability, raise costs and push up prices across the country’s € frozen fries industry.

WPC 2026 preparations are accelerating in Kenya, with the Farmers Field Day at FreshCrop taking shape alongside new speakers, partners and international registrations ahead of the global potato Congress in Naivasha.

Calbee Potato expects Hokkaido’s 2026 processing potato crop to reach 240,000–250,000 tons, with better quality and yields than 2025. Favorable temperatures and rainfall have boosted growth, although heavy rain remains a major harvest risk now.

In Europe, the industrial potato harvest could fall below 40 million tonnes in 2026 due to reduced plantings, heat and drought, while tighter supply and rising exports are already pushing processing potato prices higher.

Simplot and Tasmanian potato growers remain at odds over prices and supply terms, with growers also concerned about contract cuts and a planned 30,000-tonne reduction in potato volumes through the Ulverstone processing plant.

Marieke Hoste, VAVI's new director, will make her first Potato Demo Day visit, highlighting collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing. She says the Dutch potato sector can tackle policy, sustainability and market challenges together.

GB Potatoes has opened applications for its 2027 Potato Industry Development Programme. The three-part programme covers potato production processing research and agricultural policy across England Scotland and London.

Agristo is investing €350 million (USD 405 million) in a new Hauts-de-France potato processing site, its second-largest facility. Located 120 km from Belgium, the project will create 300 jobs and strengthen its French market presence.

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.

Mousline faced a difficult 2025 with lower sales, crop problems, and lost contracts. The French brand is investing €14 million (USD 16.2 million), expanding exports, innovating products, and launching plant-based spreads to drive recovery.

British Potato Confex 2026 will take place on 18–19 November at Lincolnshire Showground, bringing together growers, suppliers, processors and industry experts for seminars, networking and exhibitions. Free visitor registration is now open.

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.

Ukraine has begun building its largest potato processing plant in Cherkasy. The first phase, due by late 2026 or early 2027, will produce 25,000 tonnes of potato flour annually, replacing imports, with future expansion into French fries and exports.

With 100 days to go until the 13th World Potato Congress in Kenya, organizers announced new speakers, reopened late poster abstract submissions, and highlighted key program updates, field demonstrations, partnerships, and networking opportunities.

Se trata de un evento esponsorizado por las principales marcas del rubro y la participación de los principales actores del sector en la capital nacional de la papa.

Agristo has officially broken ground on its new potato processing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The project is expected to create 300–350 jobs, process 275,000 tons of potatoes annually, and begin production in fall 2029.

Zimbabwe harvested 100,055 t. of potatoes in the 2025/26 summer season, raising average yields to 29 t/ha. Expanding production to meet winter targets will depend on greater access to certified seed, irrigation, storage, processing, and investment.

Aviko's 2026 Annual Growers' Meeting reviewed the 2025 harvest, announced pool prices, and discussed market developments ahead of the 2026 crop. The meeting also highlighted collaboration across the potato value chain.