News on Research from Europe

Potato Council, Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and the Commercial Horticultural Association (CHA) returned in force to the Fruit Logistica to build their promotion of seed potatoes from Britain and raise the profile of the diversity and quality of UK horticultural crops.

The expectations were positive, but the doors to Russia are still closed for the European potato and seed potato sector.

El Instituto Vasco de Innovación Agraria NEIKER-Tecnalia acaba de inaugurar la Red Nacional de Innovación en Patata (Red Papata).

Fitopatólogos de la universidad holandesa de Wageningen han descubierto un mecanismo que aumenta la resistencia a Phytophthora infestans, patógeno causante de una de las enfermedades más devastadoras de la papa, el tizón tardío.

Potato Council’s latest campaign to encourage shoppers to trade up from generic whites to a named potato variety has been a great success.

Fruit Logistica sees record participation with more than 62,000 trade visitors from 141 countries

Supporting the chipping sector is high on the agenda for Potato Council all year round, but with Chip Week (17 – 23 February) just around the corner, the team is more focused than ever on helping chips shops improve the quality of their chips and drive sales as a result.

Esta nueva publicación pretende mejorar la conservación de los cultivos alimentarios, muchos de los cuales son cruciales para la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional a nivel mundial.

“The major troubles faced by the potato producers in Bulgaria were connected with irrigation,” said Ventsislav Kaymakanov, chairperson of the National Association of Potato Producers

Potato Council is calling on the UK industry to help promote the ‘Natural Goodness’ of potatoes, by applying for a new Potato Council car sticker which is now available to all its levy payers.

Potato yield increases in the United Kingdom have stuttered to a halt in a similar manner to cereals in recent years and experts believe improving the state of British potato-growing soils will be vital to drive yields higher again.

Following the successful first-time collaboration by the British potato and horticulture sector at Fruit Logistica 2013, Potato Council, Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and the Commercial Horticultural Association (CHA) return with their industries to this massive event in February 2014.

The potato industry flocked to Harrogate for BP2013, with organisers reporting a 20 per cent increase on the usual 6,000 attendance.

Chip Week has become one of the biggest awareness weeks in the calendar, but, as important as it is, it is still only one aspect of the work that Potato Council does to support the sector.

In Spain, a new potato organisation was established: "Foro Espanol de la patata", the Spanish Potato Forum.

Educating children about the importance of food, farming and healthy eating is a priority for Potato Council and the ‘Grow Your Own Potatoes’ project does just that. Now entering its tenth year, the project has reached over 2 million children to date.

According to Romain Cools from Belgapom it is a fact that the consumption of fresh potatoes by Belgian families is falling, but he expects the prices to remain high.

Soldier, Atlantic rower and motivational speaker, Rory Mackenzie, strives for success and is constantly searching for new challenges. Ticket holders to the sell-out BP2013 potato industry dinner, will get the opportunity to hear his inspirational story.