Potato News from Europe

TOMRA Sorting Food has delivered the world’s highest capacity steam peeler to a leading potato processing company.

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 168.0 points in April 2017, down 3.1 points (1.8 percent) from March, but still 15.2 points (10 percent) higher than in April 2016.

The Jazzy baby potato from C. Meijer does not need to be peeled. This variety, introduced seven years ago by the Dutch breeder, just needs to be washed. Jazzy baby potatoes can also be served after only ten minutes of cooking.

La conselleira de Medio Rural, Ángeles Vázquez, ha comunicado que en los primeros cuatro ayuntamientos en los que se ha empezado a retirar la patata por la plaga de la polilla guatemalteca se han recogido "cerca de 17.000 kilos de patata", y ha pedido la "solidaridad" de los afectados para "facilitar" la recogida.

Despite the fact that the bacteria responsible for zebra chip disease occur in the Mediterranean and cause damage in leek and onions, the risk for transfer to potatoes is low, because of the feeding preferences of the transmitting psyllids in this area.

tna has launched the tna ropac® 5, a ground-breaking, ultra-high-speed case packer for flexible bags that is capable of industry-leading speeds of up to 300 bags per minute.

Key Technology has been selected to equip a new production line at Lutosa, a subsidiary of McCain Foods Limited, with a complete solution of their optical inspection and material handling equipment that will prominently feature their new VERYX® digital sorters in a contract worth US$9 million.

Lamb Weston / Meijer has reached the completion phase of the acquisition of the potato division of Oerlemans Foods, including a take-over of the plant in Broekhuizenvorst.

Now that the potato planting season is upon us, we have a newcomer in the field. Potato machine manufacturer AVR is launching the trailed Ceres 450 combined potato planter.

Processing and Packaging equipment specialist tna will open a dedicated innovations hall located at Station Airport in Düsseldorf during the Interpack fair to accommodate its ever-growing portfolio of turnkey food processing and packaging solutions.

The organizers of the Europatat 2017 Congress in Antwerp from 15 to 17 June announce the addition of a number of high level speakers to the programme

Bejo has obtained breeder’s rights on its first True Potato Seed (TPS) variety. This new potato hybrid, Oliver F1, can be cultivated directly from botanical seed and, after transplanting, produces table potatoes in one season.

Bejo Ibérica S.L.U. ha obtenido los derechos de obtentor para la primera variedad de semilla verdadera de patata (TPS).

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) estimates the potato acreage will grow by 3.6% compared to last season.

Leading processing and packaging solutions provider tna has appointed Carel Pfaff as group product manager – processing, to head up tna’s processing portfolio

Pom'Alliance and Pomuni are joining forces in the fresh potato sector. Both companies signed mutual cooperation agreements on March 30, 2017.

AHDB Potatoes has announced the appointment of a new chair and the addition of five new members to its board, replacing five members.

Potato breeder Solynta started a potato revolution nearly ten years ago: to develop and apply new breeding technologies to convert potatoes into a hybrid crop. A 'large' trial of the first experimental hybrids took place last season.