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From the Editor
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Welcome to the latest issue of our Potato Reporter Online newsletter - we trust that you will find the information to be of interest. Please contact me with any potato related news and information that you would want us to publish on the site.
Please get in touch if you and your company have an interest to promote your products and services on this web site. There are several opportunities on offer if you would like to reach a global potato industry audience.
If you wish to view all content available on the Potato Reporter Online web site, you need to subscribe (free of charge) in order to get a username and password - go to this page.
Best wishes from Canada,
Lukie Pieterse
Editor
lukie@pair.com
www.lukiepieterse.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lukie |
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| In the News | | | | | |  Lawmakers, industry decry ‘backdoor approach’ to limiting potatoes in US schools
While pleased that new guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for school meals do not restrict servings of potatoes, members of the potato industry and the state’s congressional delegation are still concerned that the spud is taking a back seat to other vegetables. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Mark Szymanski, a spokesman for the National Potato Council, issued statements saying they were not entirely pleased with the final rules for school meals issued by the USDA.
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| | | | | | USDA issues new guidelines for school meals; potatoes remain unrestricted
Growrs at the Northwest potato growers meeting in the Tri-Cities in January at the Washington State Potato Conference will continue to see their produce on school lunch menus. The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued new guidelines for school lunches. And despite a request from the First Lady, potatoes will remain unrestricted on school menus.
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| | | | | | McDonald’s adding books to Happy Meals in the UK
Children in the U.K. are finding vouchers for “Mudpuddle Farm” books in their Happy Meals next to the McNuggets and fries, reports the Telegraph. The fast-food giant has “given away” 9 million copies of the Michael Morpurgo books — significantly more than the usual amount of children’s books sold each week in the United Kingdom: 1.16 million. McDonald’s has long been criticized for including toys in its Happy Meals for children.
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| In the News | | | | | | Crunch time for Irish crisp maker as launch nears
Poised to become part of the €9bn national food export success story in Ireland is family enterprise, Keogh's Crisps. Just two months from launch the posh crisp brand is eyeing up export markets.
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| | | | | | Potato processing plant in Kyrgystan will be put into operation in mid-November
A potato processing plant in Talas oblast will be put into operation in mid-November. For today all the equipment of the plant is installed. Total production capacity of the plant will be 20 tons of potatoes per day and 8 thousand tons in a year. Earlier in 2008, according to the agreement between the governments of Kyrgyzstan and India, it was decided to build potato processing plant in Talas.
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| | | | | | French fries image needs work
The French fry appears to be taking sole blame of Americans being obese. Many organizations are vilifying the French fry as a symbol of high calorie, nutritional-less junk food. Last year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said "no," when they released new guidelines that would have eliminated potatoes from school breakfasts and limited the amount of starchy vegetables, including potatoes, that could be served in school lunches. The potato industry fought back, and in October of last year Congress saved potatoes from cafeteria banishment. But on Jan. 13, the USDA decided suggest a limitation of the use of potatoes in school lunches.
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| | | | | | McCain denies NZ move: Pressure mounts on Ballarat growers
McCAIN Foods in Ballarat has denied plans to shift its local plant to New Zealand within 18 months. But in a short written statement, Australia/New Zealand managing director Steve Yung has again put pressure on local growers. “The company is constantly evaluating the competitiveness of all plants in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia and inputs such as potatoes,” Mr Yung said. “McCain has commenced benchmarking programs and will be looking for productivity improvements from potato growers in 2012 to remain globally competitive.”
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| | | | | | Yasheng Group to develop its potato deep-processing business
Yasheng Group, a high-growth diversified China-based agricultural company with US headquarters in California, recently announced plans to expand farming operations in 2012. This year Yasheng Group will further develop its potato deep-processing business, and is working to add a 5,000 ton potato processing line to further integrate its supply chain.
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| | | | | | National Chip Week to raise public’s potato awareness
One of the Potato Council’s biggest annual awareness campaigns of the year kicks off next month in the shape of ‘Chip Week’. According to the Potato Council in the UK, at the heart of the campaign, which runs from February 20-26, will be the ‘Choice Chip’ Awards. These recognise and reward the quality chips being served up by fish and chip shops, pubs and restaurants around the country, as well as promoting their suppliers and processors.
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| | | | | | McCain Foods in Australia looking for 'productivity improvements' in 2012
The Victorian Farmers Federation is worried about the long-term future of the giant McCain Foods' processing plant in Ballarat. A McCain spokesman told the Herald Sun yesterday it had no plans to shut down the factory within the next 18 months, but was evaluating all plants in Victoria. McCain Foods Australia and New Zealand managing director Steve Yung said: "McCain will be looking for productivity improvements from potato growers in 2012." The news comes as potato farmers come under increasing price pressure, particularly from potatoes exported by New Zealand.
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| In the News | | | | | | Grower turned inventor focuses on affordability with new potato sorter
Few people know better than Greg Jones how important it is to sort and grade potatoes accurately and quickly. At the height of his 35 years as a grower, his operation sorted and loaded a semi-trailer once every 10 minutes during harvest. That’s 4.6 million pounds per day. As founder and president of AgSort Inc., St. Augustine, Fla., Jones has seen his idea for an efficient, affordable potato grader/sorter become a reality. Dubbed the E-Sorter, Jones unveiled his creation at Potato Expo 2012 in Orlando in early January.
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| In the News | | | | | | High cost of production: Pakistani potato exports come to a halt
Due to a bumper Indian crop available at comparatively low cost in the international market, Pakistani export of the vegetable during the current year has come to a virtual halt causing millions of dollars worth of monthly loss to the national exchequer. Last year Pakistan exported around 350,000 tonnes of potato. Talking to Daily Times, Haji Shahjahan President Wholesale Vegetable Welfare Association Sabzi Mandi said this year despite huge crop of the vegetable, the export process is to suffer stagnation.
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| | | | | | France to step up promotion of export potatoes says CNIPT president
France must be able to keep its position as EU’ largest potatoes exporter. This year the country will have to market over one million tons of potatoes. Sebastien Galland, president of CNIPT (the French potato industry organization), made these remarks last December when he announced that it will step up efforts for a more intense marketing campaign in the potato export countries of France. With a market share of over 20% and 19% of the total value, France is not only the largest exporter of table potatoes in Europe, but now also worldwide.
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| | | | | | Wholesale potato prices nosedive in Pakistan
Potato prices have sharply declined as farmers are dumping potatoes onto the market due to lack of return compared to the total input cost, said one farmer on Saturday. Pakistani potatoes are being sold at the maximum rate of Rs400 per 40 kg in the Karachi wholesale market, against earlier rates which had been over Rs800 per 40 kg. Farmers Association of Pakistan Chairman Dr Muhammad Tariq Bucha told The News that farmers were dumping potatoes as it was difficult to pay labour cost for taking potatoes out of the field. Moreover, transportation cost was an additional burden on them.
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| | | | | | Scottish potato producer to expand business in Russia
Potato producer Albert Bartlett plans to expand its business in eastern Europe and Russia after winning its first contracts in the region during last season’s severe drought. Accounts filed at Companies House show the Airdrie-based firm supplied Scottish tatties to the former Communist Bloc after domestic supplies failed during 2010 and 2011.
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| | | | | | IFA: Retailers offering unfair price to Irish potato growers
The Irish Farmers Association said today that potato growers are being ripped off by retailers. Farmers get €130 per tonne of potatoes on average, compared to the average selling price of €500 per tonne in supermarkets. The IFA is holding an emergency meeting this evening to address what it claims is a crisis in the potato sector. IFA president John Bryan says farmers need a doubling of the price currently paid to them just to break even.
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| | | | | | Jordanian farmers demand end to import of Israeli potatoes
Farmers and wholesalers in Jordan have demanded that the government stop imports of potatoes originating in Israel, the Jordanian newspaper Al-Rai reported last Thursday. According to the report, the Jordanian farmers are claiming that the policy of the Jordanian Agriculture Ministry is forcing them to sell their produce at a loss. The reason for this, they claim, is that potatoes imported from Israel have flooded the Jordanian markets and have caused their produce to accumulate.
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| In the News | | | | | | Potatoes no longer big pay day for Northern Ireland farmers
Northern Ireland potato growers say a market glut has caused prices to crash and some banks to withdraw credit for the coming season. It once was a staple food but these days the potato is struggling to compete with likes of pasta and rice. It used to be the most lucrative crop grown on Northern Ireland farms but not any more.
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| | | | | | Spud shortage takes toll on processing growers in Canadian province
A shortage of locally grown processing potatoes is threatening to make the Canadian province of Manitoba an importer of spuds for the first time in more than two decades and will lead to production cuts in at least one local processing plant. A spokesman for local potato growers said a nightmare growing season last year took a big bite out of Manitoba's 2011 potato production, and that will lead to a serious shortage of processing potatoes by June. He said because of the looming shortage, Manitoba's potato processors - McCain Foods (Canada) and Simplot - will likely have to import potatoes from Idaho or Washington state or shift some production to other North American plants until Manitoba's next potato crop is ready in August.
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| | | | | | British farmer adopting new techniques when growing potatoes
Yorkshire Wolds seed potato producer Andrew Manfield shared with Perth conference delegates some of the particular problems associated with growing potatoes in this part of the country, one particular problem being the lack of soil. With only about 30in (140mm) of topsoil to work with in many fields, Mr Manfield, through his RTK Solutions precision farming business, has developed ways to make the most of it.
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| | | | | | Water not the only factor in reducing size of British potato crops
Andrew Williams of root crop specialists Home Farm, Nacton, near Ipswich, reckons the business will be reducing its potato planted acreage this season by about 10 per cent. He says the decision was made last September and the lack of water was a major factor. “The shortage of water is a big worry,” says Mr Williams. North Norfolk potato grower Kit Papworth, of LF Papworth, says the current dry spell in the region is exceptional. “We have a reduced area of potatoes this year (drilling more oilseed rape instead), but I cannot say water availability was the sole reason. Poor contract prices and expensive land rents are more relevant,” he says.
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| | | | | | PepsiCo to step up potato procurement in West Bengal
Potato farmers in West Bengal can look forward to some respite from market volatility next year. Encouraged by a beeline of interested farmers and keeping in tune with its corporate growth plan, PepsiCo India is planning to increase its procurement from West Bengal by almost one-third to 80,000 tonnes (60,000 tonnes in 2011) in 2012-13. The procurement was just about half at 40,000 tonnes in 2010-11.
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| | | | | | North American potato production up 4%
Fall potato production in the United States and Canada is estimated at 481 million hundredweight, up 4 percent from 2010. The National Ag Statistics Service says U.S. fall potato production increased 6 percent to 389 million cwt while Stats Canada reports Canadian production was 5 percent lower at 91.9 million cwt. U.S. yield slipped 200 pound to 414 cwt per acre but harvested acres increased 58,000 to 939, 200 total harvested. Canadian harvested acreage increase 5,000 to 348,200 acres but yield fell nearly 1900 pounds to 263.9 cwt per acre. Total potato production in the U.S., spring, summer and fall of 2011, was 427.4 million cwt up 23 million from 2010.
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| | | | | | US: Acres in potato production increase in Pacific Northwest
Officials associated with the potato industry in the Pacific Northwest have indicated that acreage planted to potatoes in Oregon and Washington increased this season. “Oregon increased acreage about 8 percent in 2011 to around 38,000 acres,” said Bill Brewer, president and chief executive officer of the Oregon Potato Commission. In Washington, “Acreage is up about 25,000 acres, which is a big one-year jump for Washington state,” said Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission. “But most of that increase was for early-season processing varieties.”
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| | | | | | USPB's smartphone app caters to growers
Technology was evident in virtually every booth at the Potato Expo 2012, and the U.S. Potato Board’s booth was no exception. The Colorado-based USPB unveiled a free app for smartphones at the expo. It is designed to keep potato growers and others in the industry up to date with issues and events, said David Fraser, USPB vice president of industry communications and policy.
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| | | | | | Potato extension program launched in Australia
AUSVEG has launched a three-year initiative which aims to enhance communication within Australia’s potato industry and promote clearer information exchange. The Potato Industry Extension Program, jointly managed by Ausveg and Horticulture Australia Limited, is specifically aimed at ensuring that growers and processors are made better aware of the outcomes of Research and Development (R&D) programs funded by industry and the Australian Government and are provided with information that can be used on a practical level.
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| | | | | | UK: Smartphone app for measuring potato ground cover
Cambridge University Farm is working on a smartphone app to measure ground cover in potato crops. "Ground cover is a key input for yield prediction model, irrigation scheduling and blight predictions," Marc Allison, a researcher at the Farm, explained. The current technology for measuring it was tried and tested but cumbersome, he said. It usually involved carrying a wooden-framed grid into the field and counting the number of squares more than half filled with green leaves. "It works well, with reproducible results."
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| In the News | | | | | | Mozambique plans to stop importing seed potatoes by 2013
Mozambique’s Agricultural Development Fund (FDA) plans to make efforts to store seed potatoes as the government has set a target to stop importing the product by 2013, the Fund’s chairman said. As part of the re-launch of the potato crop in 2005 and following a constant increase in production the FDA provided funding to seed company Sementes de Moçambique (Semoc) to buy four refrigeration units costing 14 million meticals and to set them up at the company’s headquarters in Chimoio. As well as investing in the acquisition of machinery to process between 40 and 60 tons of potatoes daily, as compared to 14 tons previously, Semoc also has a refrigeration system made up of eight units, four of which were funded by the FDA, with capacity for 200 tons each, if stored in bulk.
| | | | | | Exports thriving for Scottish seed potato growers
Although other parts of the potato industry are in the doldrums, with lower returns than last year and much higher rejection percentages on account of the wet summer and lifting season, seed potato growers are busy exporting. “Although it is too early to be definite, it looks as if there will be another big tonnage being exported this winter,” according to Mark Prentice, the head of seed and exports for the Potato Council. The main market for Scottish seed is Egypt and loadings started earlier this year to avoid a repetition of last year when severe weather in December interrupted deliveries.
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| | | | | | Surge in demand for prime home-grown seed potatoes in Britain
Seed potato exports from Britain are expected to break more records following a highly-successful season last year. The Potato Council’s head of seed and export, Mark Prentice, is looking forward to a busy time at one of Europe’s biggest fresh produce events, Fruit Logistica in Berlin next month. “Last year we smashed through the 100,000 tonne barrier thanks to Britain’s growing reputation as a world-wide supplier of quality seed potatoes,” said Mr Prentice. “Over the past 10 years we have seen a 43pc increase in trade that is a result of careful development of seed potato varieties to ensure great results in varying climatic conditions.
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| | | | | | Great expectations for British seed potato exports in 2012
Seed potato exports from Britain are expected to break more records following a highly successful season in 2011 and Potato Council head of seed and export, Mark Prentice, is looking forward to a busy time at this year’s Fruit Logistica. "Last year we smashed through the 100,000 tonne barrier thanks to Britain’s growing reputation as a world-wide supplier of quality seed potatoes," explains Mr Prentice. "Over the past ten years we have seen a 43 per cent increase in trade that is a result of careful development of seed potato varieties to ensure great results in varying climatic conditions. British seed potatoes are successfully produced for fresh and processed markets in countries as diverse as Egypt, South America and Asia.
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| | | | | | Seed potato multiplication receives new support in Uzbekistan
The International Potato Center's main partner in Uzbekistan, the National University of Uzbekistan in Tashkent received a US$2.8 million grant from the Government to implement a seed potato multiplication project using the three CIP clones released in the past two years. The three varieties, called Pskem, Sarnav and Serkhosil, are well adapted to local conditions of drought, heat and soil salinity. The new program aims to produce 500,000 minitubers per year from in-vitro plantlets obtained in new labs to boost potato seed production in the country. Other components involve planting seed potato in the mountains for further multiplication under disease-free conditions, building new screenhouses and storehouses, and providing seed farms with necessary farm equipment and machinery.
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| | | | Research | | | | | | Researcher says zebra chip not likely to spread through seed
A potato disease that arrived late this summer in the Pacific Northwest called zebra chip likely can't be spread by planting infected seed, new research suggests. Joseph Munyaneza, a research entomologist with USDA ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory in Wapato, Wash., said countries including New Zealand and Mexico have voiced concerns that the disease could be spread through seed. Zebra chip is named for the dark stripes that show up during frying of infected tubers. Symptoms, including curled, pinkish leaves, surface three weeks after infection. It effectively stops tuber development and makes potatoes unmarketable.
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| In the News | | | | | | Researchers in the US keep eyes on PVY
A worrisome tuber necrotic strain of Potato virus Y, called NTN, is now present in Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana, according to results of the 2011 Washington Commercial Seed Lot Trial. To educate growers on PVY and other new hybrid strains, a website has been launched by the USDA, the University of Idaho, Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin. At www.potatovirus.com, growers can read PVY research updates by experts from the three universities, along with related links and a discussion forum.
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| | | | | | Scottish growers provided with practical solutions for powdery scab control
Scottish potato growers had a difficult year in 2011 for several reasons, but one of the most significant was the cool, wet conditions, which were ideal for powdery scab to spread. At the SAC Association of Potato Growers conference, Alison Lees of the James Hutton Institute and SAC consultant, Stuart Wale told delegates about the most recent research on powdery scab and the control measures available for the disease.
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| | | | | | New website provide information on Potato Virus Y
The USDA, in cooperation with three major universities, recently launched a web site to disseminate information related to Potato Virus Y. This information will prove useful to all groups of people who need information about PVY, from potato growers, to scientists, to people working within the potato industry, to consumers of potatoes and potato products. The contributors say that in the past decade, Potato Virus Y (PVY) has re-emerged as a serious disease where seed potatoes are grown in the United States. The two major contributing factors are widespread acceptance of potato varieties that express mild or no leaf mosaic symptoms of PVY infection, making detection of infected seed potatoes very difficult, and displacement of the ordinary PVY strain by necrotic strains and recombinant strains (genes from both strains), once thought to be excluded from the USA.
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| | | | Research | | | | | | US researchers probe glyphosate drift in potatoes
Symptoms of glyphosate contamination in seed potatoes vary by variety, and tubers sustain severe damage without exhibiting foliar symptoms when exposure occurs after bulking starts, new research suggests. Weed scientist Pamela Hutchinson, with the University of Idaho Aberdeen Research and Extension Center, believes growers face greater challenges than they previously realized in identifying when seed has been marred by glyphosate drift or residue in spray tanks.
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| | | | | | Potato scientists tackle Zebra chip disease threat
In October, the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences confirmed that Idaho’s potato growers faced a new challenge to the state’s most famous crop with the arrival of Zebra chip. The potato disease, named for the dark bands it produces in fried potato products, was initially found last summer in research plots and fields in Jerome and Twin Falls counties. In mid-January, Phil Nolte, University of Idaho Extension seed potato specialist at Idaho Falls, told growers that it’s too soon to know whether Zebra chip’s appearance in Idaho last year was a curiosity or the first sign of a coming scourge.
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| | | | | | Research into use of bioinsecticides for control of potato tuber moth in Costa Rica
Yannery Gómez Bonilla, a graduate in Biology from the University of Costa Rica, has done research for her PhD into the application of granulovirus against two species of potato tuber moth, the cause of numerous plagues both in the crop fields and during storage. In both environments the efficacy of bioinsecticides using the various formulas employed was shown. Ms Yannery Gómez explained that, in the quest for alternatives to the chemical insecticides employed against the past species Phthorimaea operculella and Tecia solanirova, “outstanding is a granulovirus with promising properties as a control agent”.
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| In the News | | | | | | Men and potatoes: New Zealand women weigh in
According to a recent Potatoes New Zealand survey, 60 per cent of women perceive the opposite sex to be a healthier prospect with the presence of new potatoes in their supermarket trolley. The survey was commissioned by Potatoes New Zealand to discover what specific items in a man's shopping trolley made female shoppers perceive men as more or less attractive. Other findings revealed 44 per cent of female respondents said having potatoes in a man's trolley would make them want him to cook for them, with 27 per cent believing potatoes could potentially make him a good partner. Red wine came second with pasta sauce placing third for likely items that women associate with a man being a good cook.
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| | | | | | Nutritionist: kids like potatoes
Potatoes can be presented in kid-friendly ways and are nutritious to boot. Montana nutritionist and author Dayle Hayes showed a variety of potato dishes being served in U.S. schools to growers Wednesday at the Washington-Oregon Potato Conference. Kids like potatoes, served baked, sectioned and spiced, or in a meatball cupcake presentation, she said. Hayes talked to growers about science, new regulations and about what they could do in moving forward to calm the criticism that potatoes aren't healthy.
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| | | | | | Potato conference keynote focuses on nutrition
The nutritional value of potatoes will take center stage during the upcoming Washington-Oregon Potato Conference. Keynote speaker Dayle Hayes will talk about "Potatoes, Kids and Schools: Understanding the Science, Calming the Criticism." Her talk will be at 11 a.m. Jan. 25 during the conference, which is Jan. 23-26 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash. "One of the really key issues here is that school lunches matter most to those who have the least," she said. Conference board secretary-treasurer Karen Bonaudi said nutrition is topical considering the dispute over limiting the use of potatoes in school lunch programs.
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| | | | | | Potatoes: The misunderstood vegetable
An image problem continues to trouble all sectors of the spud industry, according to the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, which says the U.S. Department of Agriculture is contributing to the problem. To address this, a quintet of heavy hitters joined forces in 2011 with the National Potato Council, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Potato Board, Denver, to create the non-profit alliance.
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| | | | | | Potato industry focusing on acrylamide
The potato industry is behind a unified effort to learn more about acrylamide - which was discovered by the Food and Drug Administration about ten years ago. This potential carcinogen is found in certain foods after they’re cooked. Potatoes account for almost 40-percent of the acrylamide in the U.S. diet. Dr. A.J. Bussan - Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin - says acrylamide is a minimal food safety risk at this time.
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| In the News | | | | | | New potato blight strain found in the UK
A new strain of potato blight, which could have reduced sensitivity to a popular fungicide, has been identified in the UK for the first time. The strain "green33" was previously found in The Netherlands. "How it has arrived is open to debate, but its most likely source was from seed or it travelled via wind across the channel," said David Cooke of the Hutton Institute.
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| | | | Research | | | | | | Researchers come to terms with late blight disease disease effectors
Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight, has evolved to overcome fungicides and major resistance genes that have been bred into commercial potato cultivars. In order to dampen the immune response of its host, P. infestans secretes molecules called disease effectors at the site of infection. Now, a research team from Japan and the UK has determined the molecular structure of the disease effector called avirulence protein 3a (AVR3a), which is known to inhibit disease resistance in potato plants. Understanding the molecular structure and function of AVR3a will help plant biologists to elucidate how P. infestans causes infection so that they can develop better control measures.
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| In the News | | | | | | BASF moves unit to US after Europe rebuffs scientific potato
BASF SE, the maker of the Amflora scientific potato, is moving the plant-science unit that genetically modifies crops to the U.S. from Germany after European consumers resisted the technology. The plant-science unit will concentrate on the Americas and Asia, BASF said. Genetically modified potato products will no longer be developed specifically for Europe, though the unit will continue seeking regulatory approval to “maintain all options,” the company said.
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| In the News | | | | | | Washington State newspaper is 'home grown' using potatoes
The Columbia Basin Herald is a home-grown newspaper. It's true in more aspects than that it is produced locally. Some of the components that go into making the actual newsprint paper come from Columbia Basin farms. "We're proud to use our local farmers' products to make our own," said publisher Harlan Beagley. "Our newspaper is grown locally. We like to put Grant County potatoes in our customers' hands every day." The process to change potatoes into newspaper starts in Grant County.
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| | | | | | US growers to stand up for potatoes on Capitol Hill
Potato growers from across the country will descend upon the nation's capital as part of the National Potato Council’s (NPC) annual Potato D.C. Fly-In, designed to advance the industry's most pressing federal policy priorities. During this year's Fly-In, February 27 through March 1, growers and industry partners will meet with members of Congress and Administration officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as hear from prominent political pundits and key public policy decision makers.
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| | | | | | Fenmarc’s Rudolph potato campaign gains national recognition
Fenmarc’s campaign for its exclusively grown variety Rudolph has been recognised by the Grower of the Year awards. The campaign has been shortlisted for Trade Marketing Campaign of the Year, with the winners announced in London next month. The aim of the campaign for Fenmarc, which is based in Cambridgeshire but operates in Suffolk and other East Anglian counties, was to create standout for Rudolph from other potato varieties and position it as a commercially viable, versatile maincrop potato.
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| | | | | | Domestic potato demand stagnant, says CEO of McCain Foods USA
The North American potato industry continues to battle a misperception about the nutritional value of potatoes, according to the CEO of McCain Foods USA. Frank van Schyaak was in Brandon this week for Manitoba Potato Production Days, where he talked about stagnant domestic demand for spuds. He says McCain and other industry stakeholders are trying to counter this misperception.
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| | | | | | Sustainability panel promotes 3Ps at Potato Expo
They all had slightly different ways of expressing it, but when panelists at the Potato Expo 2012 discussed sustainability, their message came down to three words known as the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. From growers to processors to a retail analyst, the 3P message was repeated, along with the rationale behind it. “It’s just the right thing to do” was the comment from every panelist.
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| | | | | | Retailers in Ireland warned to address potato sector crisis
IFA President John Bryan has warned that potato growers are facing wipeout as retailers and packers pocket up to 80% of the final consumer price and farmers go broke. John Bryan said, “With average farmgate prices at €130 per tonne, and retail prices averaging €500 per tonne, it is clear for anyone to see that the situation is totally inequitable. Farmers need a doubling of the price paid to them to break even, and I am challenging the retail multiple bosses to bring more equity into the situation for growers.”
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| | | | | | British potato growers urged to reconnect with schools
The potato industry is being encouraged to get behind two educational projects from Potato Council, to ensure that potatoes continue to feature in the daily lives of the nation. Grow Your Own Potatoes, which is now in its eighth year, is one of the most popular growing projects for key stage 1 and 2 pupils at Primary Schools. Over 12,000 schools have already signed up to participate but Potato Council is aiming to increase numbers before registration closes in February.
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| | | | | | McDonald’s TV ads feature growers
McDonald’s features growers and ranchers in a series of television commercials launched Jan. 2. The full videos, lasting about two minutes each, appear on McDonald’s website. The company aims to connect consumers with the places and people that supply lettuce, potatoes and beef.
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| | | | | | US: United Potato’s bright start shines less brightly
A late December report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has added another perspective on the current drama surrounding the Salt Lake City-based United Potato Growers of America. On Dec. 30, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released its Agricultural Prices report, which reported that the December price of potatoes, while up from November, was more than a dollar lower per cwt. than a year ago at the same time. The organization’s whole reason for being is to rein in acreage to buoy markets, but on Nov. 30, a USDA report revealed that U.S. fall production rose 5% from 2010.
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