Potato News

Christopher Columbus and the potato that changed the world

It was a small round object sent around the planet, and it changed the course of human history. Call it “Spudnik.” It was a potato. On Columbus Day, the country commemorates the grand global changes — discoveries and destruction alike — that unfolded after Christopher Columbus linked the New World and the Old.
10/8/2018

Smart farming keeps Wisconsin potato operation on the leading edge

For Jeremie Pavelski, farming is a mountain of data waiting to be conquered. Every point of production, financial or logistical information can be aggregated and analyzed to create smart and well-calculated decisions. As president of Heartland Farms, Jeremie, 36, is combining two passions: agriculture and technology.
10/8/2018

What it takes to make the perfect chip, according to Frito-Lay

“There’s a lot of labor and love that goes into making the potato chips that go into every bag of Lay’s,” the chip producer says on its blog. The company recently followed one of its most experienced potato experts, Stephen Chahanovich, from the Killingly, CT Frito-Lay plant, to get a glimpse into a day in his life both inside and outside of Frito-Lay.
10/7/2018

Irish farmer selling potatoes from vending machine

An Irish farmer who sells his potatoes from a vending machine has hit out at supermarkets. The Co Louth farmer has claimed stores are making more than 50% profits by selling potatoes. Gerry Finnegan has set up the 24-hour vending machine in the Termonfeckin area of the county, the Irish Mail reports.
10/7/2018

The Potato Whisperer from Peru

Manuel Choqque Bravo, a fourth generation potato farmer in the Andean highlands of Chinchero, is about to perform a magic show. He lines up multiple deformed tubers, indigenous to the area best known for its proximity to Machu Picchu, and one by one slices them in half, revealing a color spectrum of intense violet and gold hues. “People think the potato has no healthy properties, but the truth is far from that,” he says.
10/7/2018

Fish and chip shops in Britain to reduce portion sizes, raise prices

A dry summer has shrunk the British potato crop and raised a daunting prospect for Britons: a shortage of chips. Fish and chip shops say they will have to reduce portion sizes and raise prices for the national dish. Potato prices have already doubled this year and could go even higher, said the National Federation of Fish Friers.
10/6/2018

Canadian potato harvest underway, but marred by cold weather

Kevin MacIsaac, general manager at the United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) released the latest crop report on the current Canadian potato crop situation today. From information published in the report it is clear that most provinces are reporting lower than average yields at this stage of harvest, as well as lower tuber sets and in some areas lower size profiles.
10/6/2018

Today is National Potato Day in Ireland

Today, October 5, is National Potato Day and people across the country are being encouraged to recognise the nutritional value of the potato and experiment with new and recipes from Bord Bia’s potato recipe website Potato.ie. The theme for National Potato Day this year is “Imagine A World Without Potatoes” hence the launch of the Potato Survival Kit.
10/5/2018

Japan’s Calbee acquires UK potato chips producer Seabrook Crisps

The UK subsidiary of the Japanese snack food giant Calbee has acquired UK potato chips producer Seabrook Crisps for an undisclosed sum to strengthen its presence in Europe. According to Calbee UK, Seabrook’s brand of potato chips, which includes straight cut, crinkle cut and lattice chips, as well as low-calorie snacks, will make a good addition to its own portfolio.
10/5/2018

Updated report on management of mop-top virus published

A new report on potato mop-top virus (PMTV) was published by Dr Andy Robinson, Potato Extension Agronomist at North Dakota State University/University of Minnesota, and colleagues at NDSU, Prof Neil Gudmestad, Shashi K.R. Yellareddygari and Owusu Domfeh. The latest report includes a table with 63 potato cultivars indicating if they are sensitive to insensitive to infection by the virus.
10/4/2018

Comprehensive new report on developments in the Canadian potato industry

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Ottawa (FAS/Ottawa) released its annual report on the Canadian potato industry today. The GAIN report focuses on key aspects of current and expected developments in the Canadian potato situation, including production trends, fresh and processed potato consumption and production, trade, and policy.
10/4/2018

Australians create ’boutique’ vodka and export puree from potato waste

South Australia produces 80% of the nation’s fresh washed potatoes and Potatoes SA CEO Robbie Davis is leading the charge to find fresh ways to slash the corresponding food waste. Starch left over from producing potato crisps is now being used to make a boutique vodka with help from Adelaide Hills Distillery and the University of Adelaide.
10/3/2018

High-tech project to monitor British potato crops from space

Rezatec, a provider of geospatial data analytics to the Infrastructure, Forestry and Agribusiness sectors, announced today that it has been working with The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in the UK the past season to demonstrate the effectiveness of using satellite data to map the extent of potato crops in pilot locations across England and Scotland.
10/3/2018

Lamb Weston posts good results; concerned about European potato crop

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. announced today its fiscal first quarter 2019 results. “We’re pleased with our solid results in the first quarter, with each of our core business segments driving sales growth and expanding product contribution margins,” said Tom Werner, President and CEO. “Our results continue to reflect the strong execution by our commercial, supply chain and support teams.
10/3/2018

Belgians prepare for “stubbier” fries

Belgian fries — one of this country’s most iconic foods, nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status — are being downsized after an unusually dry and hot European summer stunted potato crops. Crop yields this year are down by 25 percent from normal and the tubers are smaller, Pierre Lebrun, of the Walloon Potato Growers’ Association, told the Sudepresse tabloid.
10/2/2018

How the drought has affected European potato yields

Farmers Weekly in the UK reports today that the eating potato crop is forecast to be nearly 20% smaller than last year in north-west Europe because of the summer drought, with tuber size and quality also suffering. Some farmers face the challenge of meeting contract tonnages while others are set to benefit from a stronger free trade price.
10/2/2018

Major British potato processor loses supply contract

Potato processor Produce Investments is to lose a major contract, with supply to wind down by the end of summer next year. Foodmanufacture.co.uk reports that “the unnamed customer informed the producer of its plans to implement a single supplier strategy. As a result, Produce Investments will not be awarded a new supply contract once the existing agreement expires in August 2019.”
10/2/2018

The delicious history of Better Made potato chips

The average American eats around four pounds of potato chips per year; Detroiters consume an average of seven. It’s a statistic that the Cipriano family has been a part of shaping since founding Better Made Snack Foods, now a Detroit staple, back in 1930. “At the time, the potato chip was a new snack food that was taking the country over,” said Salvatore Cipriano, CEO of Better Made Snack Foods, whose father started the company.
10/1/2018

US chip company to comply with trans fat regulations

For more than eight decades, Iowa-based Sterzing Food Co. has stamped a simple “Tri-Some” slogan on its iconic bags of potato chips. After months of struggles to adapt to a government-mandated change to its recipe, president Craig Smith is ready for a new spin on that straightforward message. “How about ‘Tri-Some again?'” he said Thursday, chuckling. “Please.”
9/30/2018

Import tariffs would cripple the British potato industry: Trader

Import tariffs would “cripple” the potato industry and lead to Holland squeezing out Scotland as a competitor, the boss of Strathmore Potatoes in the UK says. The Forfar company exports 6,000 tonnes of seed pots a year, mainly to Egypt, Morocco, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and mainland Europe, in particular France.
9/30/2018

The future of agriculture requires new thinking

An ecocentric or a technocentric approach? What is the future of agriculture and which of these 2 approaches can feed the world better? Probably a mixture of both, although that is a challenging mission, says Joris Lohman, co-founder of Food Hub. Joris is speaking at the upcoming Global Future Farming Summit.
9/29/2018

Small potatoes causing problems for McDonald’s Netherlands this year

As a result of the dry weather, potatoes are smaller than usual this year in the Netherlands. Because of the small-sized potatoes, fries will also be shorter this year. This is problematic for fast food chain McDonald’s. “When the fries don’t meet our specifications, it affects the specialised equipment in our kitchens that measure, position and fry our fries,” says Eunice Koekkoek of MacDonald’s Netherlands.
9/29/2018

Idaho russet prices have halved in six weeks

After a lively start to the Idaho russet potato harvest, the market has fallen dramatically as supplies come on strongly. Prices have fallen by half since the start of August and growers are discounting to help move stock. Quality is excellent however, which has become both a blessing and a problem.
9/28/2018

US chip producer announced new facility is now live

Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips Inc. in the US announced today that their latest production facility in Pennsylvania is officially live. The multi-million dollar project has been in the works for the past year and a half. The project includes both a new distribution center and additional production lines.
9/28/2018

Eco friendly: Packaging for fries made from potato skins

Italian designers Simone Caronni, Paolo Stefano Gentile and Pietro Gaeli have created an ecological packaging for fries made from recycled potato skins, as a sustainable alternative to paper. Called Peel Saver, the packaging is made of starch and fibre components that, after maceration and natural dying, bond with each other and harden.
9/28/2018

New Frito Lay plant in the works for India?

According to a report published today by the Odisha Sun Times in India, PepsiCo is planning to build a potato processing plant in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. PepsiCo is going to establish a potato chip production unit in the city of Koraput, the headquarters of Koraput district. According to the report, an MoU will be signed between the Odisha State government and PepsiCo soon.
9/27/2018

Japan’s Calbee pulls out of Philippine potato chip venture

Japanese snackmaker Calbee on Wednesday said it would pull out of its potato chip venture in the Philippines with food and beverage group Universal Robina after it failed to make money. Calbee said it was selling its 50% stake in the joint venture to its Filipino partner for around 170 million pesos ($3.13 million).
9/27/2018

European drought: Avebe braces for “historically low potato harvest”

Avebe is increasing the advance payment for potatoes to €67 a ton to mitigate the impact of extreme drought and high temperatures. The Dutch potato starch manufacturer is bracing itself for a substantially lower than usual harvest this season as drought and high temperatures have battered potato yields all over Europe which will lead to a decline in the availability of potato products.
9/27/2018

NZ govt and industry on the case with potato virus

Biosecurity New Zealand is investigating how potato mop-top virus (PMTV) could have entered the country. The agency was working with Potatoes New Zealand after the crop disease was discovered in potato tubers in Mid Canterbury, Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) incident controller David Yard said.
9/27/2018

North-Western Europe: Official estimate of lower harvest; quality, processing concerns

The North-Western European Potato Growers Association (NEPG) estimates the upcoming harvest of the potato crop destined for fresh consumption to be 18% below last year’s total, and 8% under the 5 year average. This, in spite of the fact that the total area planted this season was 8,4% more than the average area planted during the last 5 seasons.
9/26/2018

East Idaho farmers report smoke may be factor in spud harvest

Early in potato harvest, area farmers are concerned heavy wildfire smoke throughout much of the growing season likely hindered crop development, especially in Eastern Idaho north of Blackfoot. Farmers statewide have been pleased by the “exceptional quality” of their spuds.
9/26/2018

Experts shed light on pink eye disease of potatoes

According to scientists Yi Wang, UW-Horticulture and Amanda Gevens, UW-Madison Plant Pathology in the US, pink eye of potato is characterized by a short-lived external pink color that is often, but not always, found around the potato eyes of freshly harvested tubers. Eyes at the bud ends of tubers (i.e., those farthest from where tubers are attached to stems) more commonly show pink eye symptoms.
9/24/2018

Deadline for ad space in Canada’s Potato Calendar 2019

Canada’s Potato Calendar is the leading choice for event and crop deadlines in the North America industry. This industry specific publication will be closing advertising space reservations for the 2019 print edition on October 5. There is one spot/month to fill at this time. Reach 3,000 decision makers via the print issue as well as numerous others online.
9/23/2018

Idaho’s 2017/18 fresh potato prices raise national average

Sales of table stock potatoes in the 2017-18 season totaled 107 million cwt., a 6% drop from the previous year, but the national average price-per-cwt. rose $1.13, to $11.73, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA released its annual summary of the previous season on Sept. 13.
9/22/2018

Late blight update issued for the UK

According to Dr James Cooke at the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, having experienced one of the driest seasons since the Fight Against Blight began – clearly the weather has had a major impact. “After some early appearances on discard piles in Kent in mid-April, we have received very few recorded outbreaks compared to previous years", he says.
9/22/2018

British chips to become much shorter

Britons will be served up shorter chips this year as potato farmers across Europe struggle to cope with the worst summer drought for decades. Britain eats 1.75 million tonnes of frozen chips every year and is, alongside the US, the world’s largest importer of the product.
9/22/2018

Managing moisture was key for Red River Valley potato growers

Black Gold Farms will be harvesting in the fields of the Red River Valley and said it is anxious to begin shipping red and yellow potatoes to their customers. Harvest will run for about four weeks with much of the crop stored, packed and shipped out of Black Gold Farm’s packing facility in East Grand Forks, MN through the spring of 2019.
9/18/2018

Heat, smoke not expected to diminish Oregon potato harvest

Months of intense heat and smoky skies are not expected to diminish Oregon’s potato crop, with farmers across the state predicting average to above-average yields heading into the bulk of harvest. Bill Brewer, CEO of the Oregon Potato Commission, said the overall impact of wildfire smoke is yet to be determined in spuds.
9/18/2018

Idaho’s Norkotah crop looks good, Burbank crop may be lighter

The 2018 Idaho potato harvest got under way with Russet Norkotahs in early August, and by the first week in September, most growers in the state had started digging Norkotahs. While there is always variation from one field to another, growers were generally reporting good volumes with a good size structure and very good quality.
9/18/2018

Bord Bia gears up for Ireland’s National Potato Day 2018

Bord Bia has announced the details of this year’s National Potato Day which takes place on Friday, October 5. The annual celebration honours Ireland’s most loved crop and encourages consumers to recognise its nutritional value and experiment with new and exciting recipes.
9/18/2018

International potato sales highest ever for the United States

According to a press release issued by Potatoes USA today, the value of total U.S. exports of potatoes and potato products increased by 2.37% for the July 2017 – June 2018 marketing year compared to the previous marketing year. The $1.8 billion in international potato sales is the highest ever for the United States.
9/17/2018

Austria’s potato harvest 2018 turning out far below expectations

This year, decision-makers from the Austrian potato industry again gathered in Roseldorf/Lower Austria at the end of August to discuss the state of the national and international potato markets, reports AgrarMarkt Austria. All provided various contributions and evaluated the current situation in Austria’s potato industry.
9/17/2018

Only in Canada: Alberta farmers fret over late-summer snowfalls

Some Alberta farmers in Canada are concerned about their crops after a late-summer snowfall blanketed parts of the province, with more flurries expected in the forecast. Early season snow can squash crops that grow upright, like wheat and barley, make them harder to harvest and decimate their quality. For some farmers, the snow provided a little relief.
9/17/2018

UK Potato Weekly report: Lifting continues, albeit off the pace

AHDB Potatoes in the UK published its Potato Weekly report on Friday. According to the report, lifting across the UK has continued this week although it remains behind normal levels. Growers continue to wait for tubers to gain bulk and for skins to set, following the drought and subsequent rains. For many, secondary growth is a concern, particularly for non-irrigated crops.
9/17/2018

Trade issues: US senator calls for probe of alleged Canadian potato dumping

US and Canadian trade negotiators might need to add spuds to a list that already includes cheese, steel and softwood lumber, according to a news report published by the Cochrane Times-Post. A Republican senator has reportedly asked his government to investigate allegations by American farmers that Canadians are illegally dumping potatoes into their market.
9/15/2018

San Luis Valley potato growers expect good 2018 crop

Cooperative weather during the growing season has San Luis Valley potato industry members anticipating a good crop. Companies expected solid quality and about the same volume as in 2017, with demand also holding steady. Jim Ehrlich, executive director for the Monte Vista-based Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, said there are about 52,000 acres planted this year.
9/15/2018

Tereos to start potato campaign in France

Tereos has started its potato campaign in France which will be spread over 160 days with almost 9,600 hectares of starch potatoes expected to be exported. To ensure the competitiveness of this cooperative sector, Tereos has invested a total of €25 million (US$28.9 million) over the last three years and is taking further steps to enlarge the company’s total storage capacity.
9/14/2018

How to manage pink rot in potatoes

This pathogen thrives in saturated soils, so the disease is often associated with low spots in the field or in areas of poor drainage. Disease incidence is greatest at temperatures between 70°F and 85°F. You may not notice pink rot until harvest or when the tubers are in storage, but it starts in the field. Infections often originate at the stolon attachment but also may occur at the eyes or through wounds.
9/14/2018

Below average potato crop expected for Canada’s largest potato producing province

It is getting late in the growing season, and the Prince Edward Island Potato Board says without some rain soon the harvest will come up short. According to a CBC report, board general manager Greg Donald says “it’s been relatively dry, and since August we’ve had spotty rainfalls across the province and above normal temperatures and wind, and that’s created dry conditions.”
9/14/2018

Unfair trade practices by Canada blamed for rise of potato imports to the US

The latest numbers show that potato imports to the U.S. continue to rise. That’s according to numbers from Trade Stats Northwest. The largest source of fresh imports continues to be Canada. Growers in the Red River Valley argue that continued growth may be the result of unfair trade practices put in place by the Canadian government, and they want U.S. lawmakers to begin thinking about a response.
9/12/2018