Storage

Storage under stress: How climate change is rewriting the rules for potato dormancy and disease risk

Potato storage is facing increasing challenges due to climate change, which affects crop conditions prior to storage. Factors like heat stress and drought alter tuber physiology, impacting dormancy and disease risk. Effective storage now requires thorough understanding and management of the crop’s field experience. As the storage becomes a critical climate-risk management system, improved monitoring, risk sorting, and enhanced infrastructure are essential for safeguarding potato quality and minimizing losses.

June 24, 2026

The potato store is becoming a strategic asset — and the industry can no longer afford to treat it as a dark box

Modern potato storage has evolved from a passive holding phase to a critical management system that significantly impacts the entire potato value chain. It safeguards grower income and market quality while addressing challenges like climate change and resource costs. The post-CIPC era necessitates advanced management approaches, integrating technology with human expertise. Efficient storage is crucial for food security and deserves heightened focus in industry practices and policies.

June 22, 2026

NAPSO and Spud Smart to host free potato storage webinar on finishing the season strong

The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) will host a free online webinar on June 19, focusing on potato storage management. Titled “Storage Turnover: Finishing Strong & Preparing Ahead,” it is aimed at helping growers and storage managers optimize their processes. Expert speakers Tyson Arnold and Nathan Gelles will cover key topics such as sanitation, storage planning, and crop protection to enhance profitability and crop quality in the storage season.

June 18, 2026

G7 crisis talks put potato industry on alert as Middle East war drives up energy, fertilizer, and freight risks

A virtual G7 meeting on March 30 underscored that the Middle East war is now a direct threat to energy markets, inflation, and global supply chains. For the potato industry, the implications are significant. Higher oil prices, fertilizer sourcing stress, and rising freight costs are increasing pressure on growers, storers, processors, and exporters. While potatoes are not at the center of the conflict, the crop is clearly exposed to its economic fallout.

March 31, 2026

Minimizing damage in potato handling: Lessons from grain handling systems

Effective potato handling requires meticulous system design and operating practices to minimize mechanical injuries. By adopting strategies from grain handling, such as controlled drop heights, gentle conveying, and adequate storage conditions, the industry can significantly reduce bruising. Understanding damage mechanisms and implementing thorough monitoring practices are essential for preserving quality and customer confidence.

March 30, 2026

The storage manager’s data playbook: Turning sensors, CO₂, and trendlines into decisions

January and February can feel steady in potato storage, but this “quiet shift” is when small changes often start – a warm corner, creeping CO₂, widening temperature spread, or RH instability that quietly sets up late-season trouble. This NAPSO issue offers a practical data-to-decisions playbook: prioritize trendlines over snapshots, spread over averages, and context over theory. It outlines key signals, sensor placement basics, and simple daily/weekly routines that reduce shrink, catch stress early, and prevent costly surprises.

February 18, 2026

Seed storage under the microscope: How to protect quality between harvest and planting

NAPSO and Spud Smart will host a practical webinar, Seed Storage: Protecting Quality from Harvest to Planting, on February 20 at 10:00 AM PST. The session brings together experienced seed and storage professionals to discuss the decisions that most affect seed performance, from field and harvest conditions to storage design, disease control, and monitoring. For growers and storage managers, it offers timely, actionable guidance to safeguard planting-ready quality this season.

February 14, 2026

Bruise-proofing the line: The 12 impact points to fix before peak shipping of potatoes

In late winter, potato handling operations face increased bruising risk due to colder tubers and tighter timelines. This article outlines practical strategies to reduce damage from handling by identifying critical impact points and making operational improvements without major investments. Key recommendations include lowering drop heights, matching belt speeds, and conducting pre-run audits to prevent cumulative impacts. By treating handling lines as part of storage quality management, operations can enhance pack-out quality and minimize claims.

February 13, 2026

From storage to shipping: The late-winter handling playbook that prevents bruising, blackspot, and claims

Late-winter shipping is where months of careful storage can be lost in minutes. This Storage Season Essentials installment outlines a practical handling playbook – choose stable pile zones, check pulp temperature, temper without triggering condensation, slow conveyors, reduce drop heights, and log decisions. It explains why cold, drier tubers bruise more easily and how winter pacing prevents blackspot, shatter bruising, skinning, and often costly claims before trucks leave the yard.

February 1, 2026

Airflow reality checks in potato storages: Finding dead zones before rot finds them

Uneven airflow creates microclimates that drive late-season storage problems – persistent warm spots, localized condensation, CO₂ pockets, and eventual breakdown. This fourth Storage Season Essentials article explains what dead zones look like, why they become rot zones, and how short-circuiting, leaks, and changing resistance weaken distribution mid-season. It provides a practical weekly airflow audit, a print-friendly checklist table, and common myths that lead to costly over-ventilation and missed warning signs.

January 29, 2026

Late-winter warm spells in potato storage: A dew point decision-making playbook for ventilation and condensation prevention

Late-winter warm spells can turn routine ventilation into a condensation trigger when moist air meets a cold pile and cold building surfaces. This Storage Season Essentials article explains dew point in practical terms and provides a step-by-step decision workflow for managing warm-spell risk. It highlights what condensation really looks like, where it forms first, what to do – and what to avoid. A print-friendly checklist table supports consistent, calm ventilation decisions.

January 27, 2026

Mid-season storage health check: The 60-minute weekly audit that prevents late-season surprises

This Storage Season Essentials article is a follow-up to PNT’s January 21, 2026 feature, “The storage baseline that saves crops: 10 measurements every potato facility should track mid-season.” It translates those measurements into a practical 60-minute weekly audit that helps storage managers spot drift early – widening temperature gradients, condensation risk during warm spells, dead zones, CO₂ creep, developing hotspots, and unnecessary drying. A downloadable-style checklist table supports consistent, calm decision-making.

January 27, 2026

The storage baseline that saves crops: 10 measurements every potato facility should track mid-season

Mid-season potato storage success is rarely luck – it’s disciplined monitoring. This Storage Season Essentials article outlines ten practical measurements that act as an early-warning system for shrink, rot, bruising, and spring quality issues. It explains why temperature profiles, supply air and plenum conditions, RH and dew point, CO₂ trends, fan run logic, static pressure, outside air context, walk-through checks, and consistent logging matter. A “common scenarios” guide shows how to respond sensibly.

January 21, 2026

Scotts Precision Manufacturing strengthens its edge: A deep dive into machinery innovation for modern potato growers

Scotts Precision Manufacturing emphasizes engineering excellence with its flagship Evolution Separator, addressing modern potato production challenges like labor shortages and sustainability. The highly adjustable machine improves cleaning efficiency while protecting tuber integrity. Alongside innovative products like the Terra-Siv De-Soiler and Microlift Pro, Scotts provides solutions to enhance yield and reduce damage.

December 16, 2025

Potato News Today launches a Living Dictionary for the Global Potato Industry

Potato News Today is launching the Living Dictionary of the Potato Industry, curated and compiled by Lukie Pieterse. This practical, plain-language reference hub is designed to help potato professionals across the value chain align terminology and reduce confusion. The Dictionary launches with an initial 800 core terms – 100 terms in each of eight sections – covering everything from agronomy and storage to trade, crop protection, sustainability, and data. It will expand over time, with reader suggestions welcomed.

December 13, 2025

Mid-storage health check: Webinar helps potato managers spot trouble early

Co-hosted by Spud Smart and NAPSO, the Mid-Storage Health Check webinar on December 17 will give potato growers and storage managers practical tools to catch problems before losses build. Experts Sastry Jayanty and Amanda Gevens will explain how to interpret CO₂ and humidity readings, spot early disease and bruising, and read condensation patterns, helping participants turn mid-season store checks into targeted, confident decisions that protect quality, margins and customer trust.

December 4, 2025

Restrain announces new Managing Director for Latin America

Restrain announces the appointment of Mr. Gonzalo Caldiz as Managing Director for Latin America, reinforcing its commitment to regional growers and partners. With over 18 years in agribusiness, Caldiz leads all commercial and operational activities, focusing on sustainable, chemical-free solutions. His experience and leadership are expected to enhance Restrain’s presence and service quality in Latin America, supporting innovation in post-harvest management and collaboration with Agrical Cono Sur S.A.

December 1, 2025

Quiet sheds, high stakes: How smart post-harvest storage protects potato yields

This article explores what happens to potatoes after the last trailer leaves the field and why post-harvest storage is now one of the industry’s most critical disciplines. It unpacks early priorities around heat and moisture, curing, airflow, temperature and hygiene, before turning to hotspot management, changing sprout control options, people and safety, and the growing role of digital tools – all aimed at protecting yield quietly sitting in the store.

November 25, 2025

From gut feel to good data: The quiet digital shift in potato fields and storages

This feature explores how potato growers worldwide are quietly adopting digital tools – from yield maps and late blight decision support to smart storage sensors and emerging AI analytics. Rather than replacing intuition, these systems act as a second opinion, sharpening decisions in fields and storages while highlighting real barriers like connectivity, cost and data ownership. The result is a gradual, global shift from gut feel to good data, with farmer judgement still in charge.

November 24, 2025

Warsaw to host 2026 joint EAPR meeting on agronomy, physiology and post-harvest potatoes

The European Association for Potato Research (EAPR) will host a joint Agronomy, Physiology and Post Harvest sections meeting in Warsaw, Poland, from 16–19 June 2026. The event will focus on field agronomy, plant physiology, storage and processing under changing climate and market conditions. Registration and abstract submission open in December 2025, with deadlines on 31 March 2026, and limited financial support planned for attending PhD students and early-career research community.

November 19, 2025

The cold chain under pressure: Reinventing potato storage in a warming, energy-constrained world

This article examines how climate change, rising energy costs and grid instability are putting unprecedented pressure on potato storage. It explains why many existing stores were built for a cooler, more predictable world, and how insulation, smarter controls, backups, renewables and new business models are redefining the cold chain. The message is clear: storage is no longer a background cost, but a strategic resilience tool that must be deliberately redesigned.

November 16, 2025

Inside the pile: How storage turns a good potato crop into a great – or disastrous – season

This article explores how potato storage can make or break a season, showing how heat, wounds and moisture at harvest follow the crop into the pile. It explains curing, airflow, humidity and energy risk in practical terms, and argues that storage is not a cost centre but a strategic resilience tool – one that can quietly turn field-level climate shocks into either manageable challenges or very expensive failures for growers.

November 16, 2025

Refrigerated potato storage faces major regulatory shakeup — Are you ready?

This article by Dawn Ius highlights the impending transformation in refrigerated storage due to new federal regulations targeting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in North America. As compliance deadlines approach, a webinar co-hosted by NAPSO and Spud Smart will address the implications for potato growers and storage managers. Featured speaker Ben Ingalls emphasizes the urgency for proactive planning to avoid operational and financial challenges.

November 7, 2025

Produce Investments welcomes Biofresh Safestore into technology portfolio

Produce Investments (PI), a UK investment firm specializing in agri-tech and potato cultivation, has acquired Biofresh Safestore, a leader in fixed crop management systems. With over 20 years in sprout control, Biofresh enhances PI’s portfolio, particularly with Restrain’s natural sprout suppression technology. This merger aims to unify and expand offerings in sprout suppression, providing broader options for customers while advancing crop storage innovations for sustainable growth in Europe and globally.

October 24, 2025

Scotts Precision Manufacturing celebrates sale of 1,000th Evolution Separator

Scotts Precision Manufacturing from Eastville, Lincolnshire, has celebrated a significant milestone with the sale of its 1,000th Evolution Separator, a machine launched in 2005 that revolutionized crop cleaning. The second-generation model boasts improved performance and reliability. Driven by strong demand, the company has doubled its factory size and staff. Managing Director Derek Scott emphasized the importance of customer trust and commitment to future innovation in agriculture.

October 24, 2025