Potato News from Africa

A trade delegation including Western Australian (WA) potato industry leaders toured Egypt in November, confirming the potential to export at least 10,000 tonnes of seed potatoes.

The World Potato Congress is pleased to announce that Mr. Wachira Kaguongo has accepted to become the World Potato Congress Inc.’s (WPC) newest International Advisor.

Rwanda Agricultural Board has said that it is working with agricultural experts to introduce affordable technologies that could help store potatoes for over a period of six months in a bid to fight against food insecurity and low prices affecting farmers.

Egyptian snack manufacturer, Future Foods, has launched a new pretzel range after collaborating with tna, a leading solutions provider in the food processing and packaging industry, to successfully install a seasoning, processing and packaging line.

Rwanda needs about 35,000 tons of quality potato seeds to cover 25 percent of total cultivated land in each growing season. The targeted quantity to fill the existing gap is 60 percent despite persisting challenges.

In Egypt, the ministers of investment and trade last month opened the new production line of the Dutch Farm Frites company in the 10th of Ramadan City in Sharqia governorate.

Ishida, a Japanese multinational manufacturer of food packing machinery, has opened a regional office in Nairobi, Kenya, through its Birmingham-based subsidiary Ishida Europe.

During his presentation at the official opening of the 11th African Potato Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, World Potato Congress President Romain Cools announced the continuous effort of his organization to be a partner of the African potato sector.

Potato organizations on Monday called for deliberate efforts to increase potato and sweet potatoes production for sustainable nutritious food systems in Africa.

Researchers are developing lower-emissions rice varieties, feed additives and other technological innovations to create a more sustainable food system.

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) ("PepsiCo") today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of Pioneer Foods Group Ltd.

In an effort to combat diseases which have been hampering potato yields for the past two years in Dedza, International Potato Centre (CIP) recently handed over disease resistant Irish potato seeds to ten farmers in the district.

Despite being a trained accountant and currently pursuing a Bachelor in Commerce, James Gachiri had a desire to become a successful potato farmer.

A German company that will locally produce French Fries or potato chips for both the Zambian and regional export markets is expected to commence operations this year said German Agri business Frank Nordman.

Potato is important to food security and a cash crop in Ethiopia with high potential to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, who account for 83% of the total population and hold 95% of agricultural land.

Potato production in Cameroon is dominated by the west and northwest regions, data from GIZ’s Green Innovation Centers for the Agriculture and Food Sector project (GIZ-Procisa) showed.

A potato and vegetable processing plant will be built soon in Ol Kalou town. The factory, a collaboration of the Department of Correctional Services and Nyandarua county government, will mitigate post-harvest losses ...

The opening of a new potato processing plant in Engineer town, Nyandarua county (Kenya) offers new opportunities for local potato farmers.