News on Potatoes for processing

Patatas Meléndez, la empresa vallisoletana líder en producción de patata fresca en España, ha inaugurado hoy su presencia en el mercado central de Frutas y Hortalizas en Mercamadrid, con un puesto situados en la nave E del mercado mayorista de la capital.

Potato processors in the United Kingdom and their growers express again extreme concern about the potato supply, due to wet weather and potato varieties grown for processing in particular affected.

Los nuevos hábitos de consumo están brindando al sector de la patata inéditas oportunidades para poner en valor este producto, que a pesar de ser considerado un básico en la cesta de la compra, puede todavía reinventarse.

Farmers' rights activists on Tuesday planted FL-2027 seed potatoes on a plot of farmland in Ahmedabad, Gujarat to protest food and beverages major PepsiCo's reassertion of rights over the variety.

On 7 and 8 November, Agrico held its annual variety show at its research station in Bant. During this show, the cooperative presented its new, innovative varieties and inspired visitors to work together to maximise professionalism in the chain.

Meléndez invertirá 15 millones en ampliar en 21.000 metros su fábrica de Medina del Campo con la creación de 50 empleos.

Potato processing plants in Manitoba and Alberta may not run at full capacity this winter. About 20,000 acres of potatoes were in the ground in Manitoba as of the middle of October, and growers needed two weeks of favourable weather to harvest the crop.

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.'

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.'

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.'