Potato News from Europe

TOMRA Food, junto a Compac y BBC Technologies, ambas pertenecientes al Grupo TOMRA Food,mostraron sus novedades en la Feria Internacional del Sector de Frutas y Hortalizas, FruitAttraction, que celebró su 11ª edición en IFEMA.

Daniel Leighty has been promoted to Global Vice President of Sales. Leighty is now responsible for Key’s worldwide sales organization to bring the company’s high performance digital sorting, conveying and process automation systems to the market.

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) have released a new potato production estimate for consumption potatoes in the leading 5 North-Western potato countries. If all potatoes will be lifted totally about 26.9 million tons will be harvested.

Jeroen van Soesbergen, Plantera, Marknesse: 'The fact that there are still varieties that are being trialled is an indication that there certainly is a demand.'

Jeroen Kuin, Agroplant, Medemblik: 'No customer wants to depend on only one or two varieties for processing.'

Willem in 't Anker, C. Meijer BV, Rilland: 'There's a constant need for new potato varieties, also for French fries.'

Tigran Richter, Norika/Binst, Sanitz (D): 'For every interesting potato variety that performs better than what we already have, there's a chance in the market.'

Rindert Dankert, Breeding Company Kooi, Leeuwarden: 'In order to increase a possible success, we focus mainly on the early segment.'

Harry van de Vijver, Germicopa, Quimper (F): 'Give us yellow-fleshed French-fry varieties with broad nematode resistance.'

As of October 1, the new JASA packaging line at potato company Nedato in Oud-Beijerland is in operation. Nedato added this new packaging equipment to cope with the demand for smaller packaging in retail.

Peter van Eerdt, Danespo Holland, Berltsum: 'No one is really 100 percent happy with the potato variety that they grow or process.'

Jörg Renatus, Europlant Holland, Heerenveen: 'We perceive a demand for robust, stress-resistant varieties with nematode resistance.'

SoilEssentials Ltd will be showcasing 'Tuberzone' their precision farming solutions for potato cultivation at the upcoming BP2019, the potato industry event.

Jan-Paul Bandsma, De Nijs, Warmenhuizen: 'We're looking for strong, robust, drought and heat resistant varieties.'

Jan-Eric Geersing, Caithness Potatoes Nederland, Emmeloord: 'New French-fry varieties must excel in at least one characteristic, but in fact have two good ones.

Jos Bus, The Potato Company, Emmeloord: 'What you want to find in the end is a practical potato with a simple user manual.'

Lammert Buwalda, Royal-ZAP/Semagri, Wieringerwerf on potato breeding: 'It's a matter of starting somewhere and waiting for a chance hit.'

Robert Graveland, HZPC research, Metslawier: ‘Marker-assisted classical breeding is going to change a lot in the range of varieties over the coming ten to fifteen years.’