Potato News from Europe

The Fera-led R&D project, Enigma I, is reporting impressive results halfway through its investigation into sustainable wireworm control – a pest issue causing significant annual yield losses in root vegetable and salad crops.

Home consumption and retail sales continue to prosper with the current weather conditions increasing demand.

AURA® oil recovery systems and CentreQ® unit measurement and control systems are the innovations by FoodeQ that are gaining rapid adoption, revolutionizing the industry and contributing to healthier, cost-effective, and more efficient French fry production.

Potato and cereal crops are likely to have been heavily damaged by the recent devastating floods across the United Kingdom, farmers have warned.

Equipment manufacturer FPS Food Process Solutions has entered a partnership with OptiCept for PEF Technologies. OptiCept’s PEF application for solid foods (JÖRD) will be further developed jointly. In the collaboration, OptiCept will deliver CEPT generators and FPS will deliver the system that handles and processes the products.

United Kingdom potato supplier Branston has announced it is opening a mashed potato facility to produce and supply leading UK supermarkets with the prepared family favourite starting in spring 2024.

Crop Systems Limited’s 'SmartSola' system is an innovation launched at exactly the right time. The system enables users to make optimal use of their use of home-generated energy in their potato storage.

For financial year 2022/2023, potato breeder Royal HZPC Group B.V. reports substantial growth in sales. Gerard Backx, CEO Royal HZPC Group B.V., underlines that the important growth in volume, is mainly in Asia and America.

The Germany-headquartered company presented a series of innovations at the two-day event of the mechanical and plant machinery companies' network.

Europe has unveiled a EUR 3.2 million (USD 3.4 million) initiative, named “Potatoes Forever!“, aimed at educating the public about sustainable practices within the fresh potato industry. The campaign, set to span three years, will primarily target France and Italy.

Con la llegada de los camiones cargados de tuberculos desde Francia, la cosecha de patata en Castilla y León se ha enllentecido, los precios continuan cayendo de los 35 céntimos el kilo a menos de 30 actualmente, y un año que parecía ser interesante para los productores locales se convierte en una verdadera decepción.

Princesa Amandine ha alcanzado un acuerdo de distribución comercial con la cadena Makro, líder de la distribución mayorista para hostelería en España, que ya está ofreciendo esta patata en sus lineales.

La temporada de cultivo de 2023 trajo desafíos sin precedentes para los productores de semilla de papa en Europa. Condiciones climáticas desfavorables y una reducción en la superficie sembrada han provocado retrasos en la siembra, disminución de los rendimientos y una importante escasez de semilla.

In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has provided a promising assessment of this year's potato harvest despite challenging weather conditions and delayed planting.

In a transformative leap for precision farming, Vultus, spearheads an agricultural revolution with its pioneering Analysis as a Service (AaaS). Their technology is poised to redefine modern farming, empowering farmers to maximize productivity, enhance crop quality, and reduce their environmental impact while boosting their profitability.

The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 121.5 points in September 2023, almost unchanged from its value in August, as declines in the price indices of vegetable oils, dairy and meat had offset increases in the sugar and cereal price indices.

La restricción que afectaba la importación de papas desde el Reino Unido a las Islas Canarias ha llegado a su fin, y según informó Narvay Quintero—consejero de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca de Canarias—los efectos ya se sienten entre los consumidores.

Former Chief Executive of NFU Scotland, Scott Walker, has been appointed as the new part-time CEO for GB Potatoes.