News on Research from Europe

Cuban visitors were given a focused tour encompassing Scottish Government’s SASA’s plant health facilities, a seed potato micro-propagation facility, and visited a leading Scottish seed grower and exporter.

Starch Europe (formerly AAF, Association des Amidonniers et Féculiers) announced its support for the European Commission’s Communication for a European Industrial Renaissance at an event held in Brussels October 15.

Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, announces the appointment of Raquel Izquierdo de Santiago as the new Secretary General of the association.

The dates have been set for the famous UK Potato Week 2014; running from 6-12 October the campaign will celebrate the humble potato and encourage mums to ‘trade-up’ from generic whites to named varieties.

With two months still to go before the opening of INTERPOM | PRIMEURS 2014, the event is already bigger than last time – and virtually fully booked.

Around 10,000 potato professionsals from more than 60 countries visited PotatoEurope 2014 at the Rittergut Bockerode estate near Hanover.

Belgapom is partnering with research institutions to developed a platform to increase the efficiency of potato production, combining data from drones and satellites.

As Potato Council and the GB seed potato sector prepare for next months’ Potato Europe event in Germany, recent export statistics confirm that GB seed potatoes continue to be in demand around the world, with the 2013/14 figures revealing a new seed exports record from Britain.

Experts from the UK and India are working together to identify and develop novel environmentally-sustainable strategies to control plant pests, known as plant-parasitic nematodes to ensure global food production and security.

Potato Council has been working hard to raise the profile of potatoes amongst Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), promoting their health and sustainability credentials and creating awareness of the significant contribution they make to the Scottish economy.

Cheshire potato growers gathered at Aston Grange Farm near Runcorn, at the end of June 2014, to discuss the opportunities for the local crop at Potato Council’s Cheshire Potato event.

Amica Chips and ICA Foods, two major savoury snack companies on the Italian market with a growing international presence, have joined the responsible advertising pledge of the European Snacks Association (ESA).

Potato Council’s One Voice campaign is fast gaining momentum, with people from all sectors of industry getting involved and doing whatever they can to help spread positive messages about potatoes.

The West Midlands Potato Day attracted a good crowd of industry visitors on 19 June when potato grower Jonathan Bubb of J.M. Bubb & Sons hosted Potato Council’s technical field day at Lynn South Farm, Newport, Shropshire, where they grow around 400 acres of potatoes.

In the United Kingdom the value of fresh potato category is growing with a 3.8% rise over the last year, while the volume of fresh potatoes sold has dropped by 8.0%. The Potato Council is figuring out what can be done about it.

Researchers at the Universities of Dundee and Aberdeen have made a breakthrough in understanding how the microbial spores which cause potato blight are so effective at infecting plants.

Leatherhead Food Research is delighted to announce the appointment of Alice Cadman as Head of Business Development & Marketing, starting 27 May 2014

La Asociación de Distribuidores de Papas de Gran Canaria (ADIPA), que se presentó oficialmente este viernes (16 de mayo), es una agrupación que tiene como objetivo el de revertir la tendencia actual de consumo y conseguir que el 80% de la papa que se compre en la isla sea de la tierra.