Potato News from Europe

Potato cooperative Agrico has celebrated the start of the construction work of its 'Quality Centre' to monitor the quality and vitality of its potato varieties.

Potato Processing Equipment Specialist Kiremko launches its new Guard Family: a series of advanced sensor systems that support, control and guard your potato processing line.

AHDB Potatoes announced earlier this month that GB potato stock levels for the end of November are estimated at 3.6M tonnes, the highest level for this point in the season since 2011/12.

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 169.5 points in January 2018, nearly unchanged from December 2017 but almost 3 percent below the corresponding period last year.

Mike Riley, Head of TOMRA Food is making the case for digital standards during the Fruit Logistica. TOMRA Food is initiating cross-industry working groups to accelerate development.

Agrico presented its new generation potato varieties with high resistance to late blight (Phytophthora Infestans) at Fruit Logistica. On the first day of the fair, General Manager Jan van Hoogen explained the meaning of these new varieties.

Royal Cosun reports a higher turnover and a higher profit for 2017 in comparison with 2016. Potato Processing subsidiary Aviko again turned in an excellent performance in 2017.

Country Crest, the north Dublin based family owned agri-business, and Tesco Ireland have confirmed a further extension of its almost 20 year relationship until 2020 in a deal worth over €60 million.

Priory Vodka made from a small acreage of potato crop that is otherwise destined for McCain’s and McDonald’s fries won two prestigious Gold awards at the Global Spirits Masters in autumn 2017. Priory Vodka will go on sale shortly.

Cargill and its Danish potato starch partner, AKV Langholt AmbA, are investing $22.5 million USD (EUR 19 million) in a new potato starch production unit at their Langholt facility in Denmark.

A research project aims to improve the accuracy of the ‘AHDB Potatoes potato cyst nematode (PCN) pallida calculator’ which is currently used as an educational forecasting tool for potato growers in the United Kingdom.

La Asociación Agraria de Jóvenes Agricultores (Asaja) de León ha denunciado que Carrefour publicita una oferta de papa española como francesa. Asaja ha exigido a la cadena la inmediata retirada del ofrecimiento y con ello cualquier tipo de publicidad engañosa y contraria a las leyes que protegen a los consumidores.

The highest court in Iceland has upheld a ruling that a 76% duty charged on imported French Fries is not unconstitutional.

Fairfields Farm Crisps has agreed to acquire Ten Acre Crisps, in an ongoing concentration of smaller premium brands focused on high quality and free-from attributes in the UK snack market

Potato Chip manufacturer 'Keogh's crisps' has become one of the most popular food brands in Ireland over the past few years, and it grew out of a potato farm in Dublin.

Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, has confirmed the dates for its annual Europatat Congress. Under the slogan “Potatoes: a healthy, sustainable and responsible sector”, the 2018 Congress will focus on sustainability.

Leading vegetable handling equipment manufacturer, Tong Engineering is pleased to announce the appointment of ScanStone potato systems as the company’s new approved dealer for Scotland.

TOMRA Sorting Food has appointed two highly experienced senior sales people for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to further implement its controlled growth strategy.