No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
TOMRA Food has launched the TOMRA 4A, an AI-powered optical sorter designed for high-volume potato handling. Processing up to 100 tonnes per hour, it uses advanced inspection and three-way sorting to separate quality potatoes, out-of-spec produce, and foreign materials. With 92% foreign-material detection accuracy, machine learning, and intuitive controls, the system helps reduce waste, protect stored crops, address labour challenges, and maximize harvest value. Onion sorting is planned next.
NAPSO and Spud Smart will host a November 19 webinar connecting russet potato disease management with storage economics. Jeff Miller will examine varietal susceptibility and disease management strategies, while Patrick Hatzenbuehler will explore treatment costs, shrinkage, market prices, and potential returns. The session launches NAPSO’s Storage Economics initiative and aims to help growers and storage teams make informed decisions about protecting crop quality and financial returns throughout the storage season.
Syngenta Canada president Shaun Vey has highlighted Canada’s potato sector as an example of agriculture’s potential to drive economic growth. In an opinion article published by The Hill Times, he points to the importance of innovation, investment, processing capacity and export access. His message calls for predictable regulation, effective investment and infrastructure that help farmers and agricultural businesses strengthen competitiveness, create value and contribute more to Canada’s long-term economic prosperity.
Six recent YouTube uploads provide perspectives on potato harvesting, storage, machinery and breeding. Potato News Today’s selection brings together updates from Bells Farming and Rocky Mountain Farmer, an APH Group harvesting demonstration, Trekkerweb’s PotatoEurope coverage and a Root2Res discussion featuring Teagasc researchers. Published between September and November 2026, the videos connect seasonal farm operations with equipment developments and the longer-term work of developing potato varieties for different production environments worldwide.
Europatat’s September–October 2026 newsletter highlights water resilience, post-harvest disease protection and closer cooperation across Europe’s potato sector. Developments include a water workshop, PATAFEST research on Fusarium dry rot susceptibility, and a new POMATO platform for sharing bacterial disease knowledge. The issue also reviews Madrid’s International Potato Symposium, welcomes new members from Greece and Spain, and looks ahead to Europatat’s 75th anniversary congress in Lisbon, Portugal, scheduled for June next year.
This edition of Potato News Today’s ‘Words Behind the Headlines’ series explores the gap between growing potatoes and earning a dependable living. Six selections highlight Ireland’s rising costs, Bangladesh’s storage losses, an Idaho grower’s interest in artificial intelligence, African efforts to strengthen seed delivery and late blight management, and Canadian food redistribution. Together, they show why innovation, market access and shared responsibility matter for growers and the communities that depend on their continued success.
EUROPLANT Potatoes UK Ltd has been established to enhance the company’s presence in the UK market with James Paice appointed as Managing Director. The new subsidiary aims to improve collaboration with local growers and industry partners by introducing innovative potato varieties and enhancing licensing operations. The initiative reflects EUROPLANT’s commitment to the British potato industry, with activities to be showcased at upcoming events including the EUROPLANT OPEN DAYS and the British Potato Conference.
Global potato markets may be approaching recovery, with Commodity Board pointing to reduced plantings and weather pressures alongside heavy processed-product inventories. Fresh potatoes are showing earlier firmness, while starch and powder remain subdued. El Niño adds uncertainty to the next production cycle. For growers and processors, the pace of stock clearance and the availability of marketable potatoes will help determine whether firmer prices become more widespread in the months ahead.
Europe’s smaller potato crop is sharpening concerns over tuber size, processing suitability, and contracted deliveries. Grower warnings highlight the need for flexibility, while trade guidance emphasizes clear agreements, realistic yield assumptions, and reliable quality assessments. The challenge extends beyond securing sufficient volume: growers, traders, and processors must align available potatoes with product requirements and determine how weather-related production risks are managed across an increasingly demanding and interconnected European supply chain.
Kenya’s hosting of the 13th World Potato Congress places African growers at the center of an international conversation about food security, innovation, and trade. Running October 26–30 in Naivasha, the congress combines scientific discussions with practical field demonstrations, seed system workshops, and youth engagement. Its emphasis on continuing collaboration highlights a central challenge: turning global knowledge and partnerships into accessible solutions and lasting benefits for potato farmers and their communities.
Aberystwyth University’s DeepDetect project explored using artificial intelligence and smartphone leaf images to support earlier potato blight detection. Designed around farmer and agronomist feedback, the Welsh Government-funded feasibility study aimed to develop a practical diagnostic app. University records list the project as finished in January 2026, but public sources reviewed provide no confirmed commercial launch or field-performance results. Its potential lies in supporting timely, better-informed crop protection decisions for growers.
Breeding potatoes for easier harvesting and handling means improving the amount of marketable food that survives the journey from field to customer. Research highlights opportunities in skin set, bruise response, shape and size, alongside better measurement and sorting. However, benefits must be demonstrated under realistic commercial conditions. This article examines those opportunities, the specific needs of small potatoes, and why successful development depends on breeders and operators working closely together.
CropX Technologies has joined McCain Foods and Lincoln University in an eight-year New Zealand study comparing regenerative and conventional farming systems. Researchers will assess soil health, carbon, water and nutrient use, yields, pest management and profitability across a full potato rotation. CropX’s sensors and digital agronomy tools will support monitoring and management decisions, helping build locally relevant evidence as McCain pursues regenerative agriculture practices across its potato acreage by 2030.
Japan’s review of wider access for U.S.-grown potatoes must prioritize scientific assessment and quarantine safeguards, according to an October 23 editorial in The Japan News. The editorial highlights Japanese growers’ concerns about introducing pests and diseases, particularly risks to Hokkaido’s production and seed potatoes. It urges authorities to evaluate proposed U.S. safeguards carefully and avoid accelerating decisions under trade pressure, while acknowledging potential consumer benefits from lower retail potato prices.
Farming Smarter in southern Alberta is giving its potato research harvests a second purpose by donating produce to Lethbridge’s Interfaith Food Bank. After contributing 28,000 pounds over two years, the organisation expects its 2026 harvest to bring total donations close to 50,000 pounds. The partnership connects researchers, food bank staff and community agencies, turning agricultural trials into practical support for households while demonstrating the human value of locally rooted research.
Haith will conclude its 2026 international event schedule at INTERPOM in Belgium, showcasing at Booth 315 from November 29 to December 1. The company emphasizes its partnership with GRIMME for a streamlined production process in vegetable handling. With notable attendance at various international events, Haith plans potential announcements for new innovations at INTERPOM. For details on their equipment, visit www.haith.co.uk.
Potato contracts provide a foundation for planning, but their value extends beyond price. This instalment of the PNT series Who Will Grow Our Potatoes? examines how growers and buyers share risks involving weather, crop volumes, quality assessments, delivery schedules, and payment. Drawing on international examples and published guidance, it explores clearer obligations, grower representation, and practical support that can help both sides build dependable relationships and sustain viable potato businesses across successive seasons.
Rising diesel prices are significantly impacting the global potato industry, tightening margins and adding financial pressure to growers and transport operators across various regions. While some government interventions provide limited relief, the variability in price increases complicates operations and contract negotiations. Major producing areas, including the U.S., Canada, and Europe, face steep diesel costs affecting harvests and future investments, raising concerns about the viability of potato operations.
Researchers are continuing efforts to eradicate the pale cyst nematode in Idaho, focusing on complementary measures. Key strategies include using litchi tomato as a trap crop, achieving over 80% egg-density reduction, and mustard-based biofumigation. The recent deregulation of Idaho’s first field is a milestone, yet challenges remain for growers. Effective management practices and ongoing research are essential for sustained progress against Globodera pallida.
South African potato prices have dropped over 23%, averaging R63.46 per 10 kg bag due to high market arrivals and weak consumer purchasing power. AMT’s Conce Moraba noted that large stocks and heat-related quality issues contribute to the decline. The tomato market is similarly affected, with prices decreasing 40%. The recovery for potato growers hinges on balancing supply and demand amidst customer spending challenges.
Germany’s 2026 potato harvest is expected to decline by 24.8% to 10.4 million tonnes due to reduced planting and lower yields caused by extreme weather. While prices for fresh potatoes have risen significantly, retail prices for frozen products have decreased. This inconsistency raises concerns about export availability and the impact on the European market, as reduced domestic supply may limit sourcing flexibility for buyers.
Combined potato plantings in the U.S. and Canada have reached a four-decade low, with 1.268 million acres planted in 2026, a 2.4% decline from 2025. The U.S. saw the most significant decrease, notably in Idaho, while Canada’s reduction was minimal. Ben Eborn, publisher of North American Potato Market News, indicates that a smaller planted area could lead to lower production levels, impacting supply dynamics without ensuring price recovery for growers or processors.
Potato breeding is evolving to ensure varieties offer dependable quality throughout storage and processing. Research into dormancy, sugar accumulation, skin integrity, and the effects of growing conditions informs breeders on improving postharvest performance alongside yield and disease resistance. Breeders face challenges balancing different market demands, highlighting the need for collaboration in defining quality traits and adhering to conditions influencing potato performance from harvest to consumer.
Royal HZPC Group has submitted a patent application for a new potato variety that boasts enhanced antioxidant levels while maintaining a traditional appearance. This breakthrough, resulting from the Breeding and Molecular Biology teams’ efforts, features increased flavonoid concentrations, specifically kaempferol. Emphasizing consumer preferences, HZPC aims to merge health benefits with familiar aesthetics. While patenting this innovation, the company continues to optimize the trait for future varieties and explores market applications.
Northwestern Europe’s potato harvest is facing challenges due to contrasting soil conditions, with excess rain in northern Netherlands and dryness affecting Belgium and France. The NEPG forecasts a 25.4% decrease in ware potato production compared to 2025, raising concerns over tuber size and specifications. Harvest completion varies significantly across countries, and market adjustments reflect tighter supplies without guaranteed higher margins for growers, complicating the overall outlook for the season.
