News on Potato Trade

Over the last two years, Armenia’s potato exports have risen considerably and now exceed the countries potato import.

Effective immediately, new requirements are in place for exporting potatoes from Prince Edward Island (PEI) to the United States (U.S.).

Kenya loses Sh19 billion annually due to poor production and processing of potatoes, a 2014 study has revealed.

Port disruptions on the West Coast due to labor contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are hurting Idaho agriculture and Idaho’s exporters.

McDonald's Japan is to only sell small portions of fries starting December 17, in response to the french fry shortage in the country.

Restaurants in Japan are rushing to secure supplies of french fries after shipment delays from the US, with one chain readying to airlift 200 tons of fries.

The total ware potato harvest in the five North-Western European Potato growers (NEPG) countries - Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Great Britain - in 2014 is estimated at more than 28 million tons.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Fiji has plans to source potato seed materials for the Red Pontiac variety from Australia as it continues its efforts to boost local production.

The South Australian Government is partnering with Potatoes South Australia to gain export access and expand the state’s seed and fresh potato industry within the growing international markets of Thailand and Malaysia.

Indian Potato chip, fries and flake manufacturers have urged the government to waive the 30% import duty on potato to improve supplies and check soaring prices at home.

Farmers and cold storage owners in India (Agra, UP) have lauded the decision to lift the ban on import of seed potatoes.

New Zealand Potato production in 2013, at 525,000 metric tons, was marginally (5%) ahead of 2012 production. t is likely planted areas in 2014 will be similar to 2013, with production in the range of 500,000 to 550,000MT.

The value of all U.S. potato exports reached $1,755,544,515 for the recently completed July 2013 – June 2014 marketing year. This is an expanded version of an earlier publication.

The Sri Lanka Government has decided to suspend the import of potatoes as of last night, according to the Colombo Gazette

The value of all U.S. potato exports was $1,755,544,515 for the recently completed July 2013 – June 2014 marketing year. This is a 7% increase over the previous record set in 2012/13.

In the potato market, growers and traders live from day to day. 'It's very unpredictable at the moment', Bart Nemegheer of the Aardappelhoeve laments. 'Demand is good, but prices are far below par.'

Potato supply from West Bengal was disrupted again with the authorities of the neighbouring state re-imposing transport restrictions from today (August 24, 2014), a week after Trinamool Congress (TMC) government there relaxed movement of this vegetable variety to Odisha.

In a reversal of policy, the Russian government last week modified its prohibition on several types of food imports from the United States, Canada, the EU, and other Western countries to allow for the importation of seed potatoes.