The U.S. potato industry has set a record for a second consecutive marketing year for the value of its foreign exports, according to recently released numbers. The value of all classes of U.S. potato exports, at nearly $1.756 billion, was up 7 percent in the marketing year that ended in June 2014, according to USDA Global Trade Atlas statistics. Export[Read More…]
Trends
Potatoes could be off the menu as crop pests threaten UK
Britain has “significantly underestimated” the risk that crop pests pose to its food supply. Fungi and viruses present so great a danger to staples such as wheat and potatoes that they may force the nation to change its diet, an academic has warned. The rise of deadly pests poses a threat to the world’s entire food system, but the UK[Read More…]
Canada: Growers on lookout for next big thing in spuds
A huge array of new potato varieties were on display in Ladner last week. The B.C. Potato Industry Variety Trial Field Day, which showcased many spuds that are new to this region, was held last Thursday at Bates Brothers Farms, where members of the local farming community provided their input on the marketability of the many reds, whites, yellows and[Read More…]
New project iPot focuses on sustainable growth of Belgian potato production
On Tuesday, August 19, a new project was presented in Gembloux. The purpose of iPot is to realize an increased and sustainable potato production in Belgium. The Belgian potato industry saw a spectacular development in the past years, and is the biggest exporter of frozen potatoes in the world, volume-wise. Over a quarter is exported to outside the EU. That’s[Read More…]
Canada: Leading the way in Potato Research
Potato growers in Canada could soon have some additional tools in their relentless battle against in-season pests and disease, thanks to a comprehensive new research project being co-ordinated by the Canadian Potato Council. The five-year project is being funded by potato producers, industry partners and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As part of the agri-science cluster project, researchers from across the[Read More…]
‘The humble potato falls from grace’
The potato has had a great run for most of the past five centuries. But these days, the humble spud has fallen on hard times in the US. Consumers have shunned the starchy side dish in a race away from carbohydrates and toward greater convenience, two factors driving broad changes in how Americans eat. Total annual consumption of all types[Read More…]
North America: Burger King gets rid of ‘Satisfries’
After less than a year of being on the menu, Burger King is getting rid of its lower-calorie french fries at most restaurants, according to The Associated Press. The Miami-based chain said in a statement that it gave its franchisees the option to continue selling the french fries earlier this week, but only about 2,500 of the approximately 7,400 locations[Read More…]
US: Sunrain develops in-house spud seed production
The Potandon Produce subsidiary Sunrain Varieties LLC has announced several capital improvements to help the company conduct a seed development program in-house, rather than contracting with local seed growers for most of the work. Officials with Sunrain Varieties LLC have acquired a large Eastern Idaho farm, built new greenhouses and broken ground on a storage and sorting facility, seeking to[Read More…]
Potato expert says consumers will embrace GM food
A leading expert in potato industry research says Australia’s export potential will be crippled unless farmers embrace genetic modification (GM) technology. Professor Gary Secor, of North Dakota State University in the United States, says consumers’ fear of GM is unfounded and likely to fade as they realise the potential for superior produce. He says bans in South Australia and Tasmania[Read More…]
Canada: Prince Edward Island potato industry shocked by McCain plant closure
The Island potato industry is reeling today from the announcement that McCain Foods will close its Borden-Carleton French fry facility as of October 31, 2014. Many Island farm families have worked hard to deliver high quality potatoes to McCain Foods over the years, and growing for McCain was a major component of their farming operations. McCain has been an important[Read More…]
US: Fresh Solutions Network launches branded spud line
San Francisco-based Fresh Solutions Network LLC has launched the Side Delights brand of fresh potato products. The company plans to rebrand many of its existing offerings. The Side Delights name is based on extensive consumer testing and that 80% of fresh potatoes are eaten as side dishes, according to the release. The packaging incorporates U.S. Potato Board research that found[Read More…]
Canada: McCain Foods closing French fry plant in Prince Edward Island
McCain Foods is blaming a shift in the market for French fries and the stronger Canadian dollar for its decision to close a plant in Prince Edward Island. When the plant in Borden-Carleton shuts down at the end of October, 121 jobs will be lost. The company said Thursday there has been a shift in demand for its French fries[Read More…]
UK: Farm Frites add new gluten free roast potato to range
Potato products supplier Farm Frites has introduced a new gluten-free roast potato to their range of products. The Crispy Roast Potatoes are pre-fried and take 20-25 minutes to cook from frozen. Source: www.morningadvertiser.co.uk See on Scoop.it – Potato News
Canada: Potato growers cutting back
North Americans are eating fewer french fries, and that has forced some Manitoba farmers out of the potato-growing business and driven potato acreage here to its lowest level in nearly 20 years. Keystone Potato Producers Association (KPPA) officials said Thursday four Manitoba farmers have been forced to switch to other crops in the past year after their supply contracts with[Read More…]
Idaho potato growers scale back insecticide use
Some Idaho potato growers have reduced their use of insecticides designed to prevent zebra chip disease. The Capital Press (http://bit.ly/1nNGljU ) reports that growers are putting off spraying for psyllids, winged insects that can spread bacteria that causes potatoes to have dark bands when fried. Source: www.bnd.com See on Scoop.it – Potato News
Australia: Potato growers hit purple paydirt with colourful crop of spuds
Boring mashed potato is a thing of the past at Wendy and Terrence Rattray’s house. The couple’s Tasmanian-grown potatoes are now being used by top chefs and home cooks across the country and overseas to add colour to their dishes. The Rattrays operate their Yum Tasmania Gourmet Potatoes business at Pyengana, in the state’s North-East, and grow about 20 different[Read More…]
Processing trend: Exotic cuts
Either theme-shaped as Easter bunnies, fish, football boots, or home-style snit, sticks, wedges, wave cuts, potatoes are increasingly getting “dressed up” for various occasions and the trend is here to stay. John Kadinger, market manager with Key Technology, gave us insights what entails to achieve special cuts. Although lines that produce straight, “regular” cuts are not very different from those[Read More…]
Canadian potato exports show signs of life
After a decade of declining domestic demand, North America’s potato industry may have a reason to feel hopeful. Kevin MacIsaac, United Potato Growers of Canada general manager, said North American processors exported near record amounts of frozen potatoes to Asia this spring. “There have been some interesting things happening in the frozen market in the last two or three months,”[Read More…]
US: Agrilife Research putting designer potatoes on the menu to boost consumption
A decline in overall potato consumption has Texas A&M AgriLife Research breeders working on “designer” spuds that meet the time constraints and unique tastes of a younger generation. Dr. Creighton Miller, AgriLife Research potato breeder from College Station, recently conducted the Texas A&M Potato Breeding and Variety Development Program field day at the farm of cooperator Bruce Barrett south of[Read More…]
China: ConAgra extends global footprint with acquisition
As part of its ongoing business strategy to grow the company’s international presence, ConAgra Foods, Inc., announces that it has acquired TaiMei Potato Industry Limited, a potato processor in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia. This acquisition expands ConAgra Foods’ Lamb Weston operations in a market that has growing demand for frozen potato products. “We’ve been doing business in China and throughout Asia[Read More…]
Why flavoured potato chips could boost Pepsi’s earnings
PepsiCo Inc. said Wednesday that its profit fell by 2 per cent on restructuring charges in its second quarter, but that sales volume ticked up for its snacks and drinks. In its Frito-Lay North America division, PepsiCo said revenue was up 2 per cent on stronger volume. In a phone interview, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said the company didn’t[Read More…]
Farmers in Eastern Idaho look to peas as profitable alternative to potatoes
As potato prices plummet and many sell their crops for a loss, some farmers are planting peas instead. “This is our first year planting peas. It’s kind of an experiment for us,” said Logan Hamilton, a Ririe farmer. Hamilton planted around 110 acres of peas earlier this year – initially as a rotation crop. “We’ll go where the profit takes[Read More…]
UK: Angus event helps growers tackle PCN
Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) was the topic of the afternoon at this new technical event held this July at the family farm of John Reid at Newmill of Balgavies, near Forfar. PCN was identified as one of the top five issues facing the industry as a whole during Potato Council’s 2013 “Direction through Dialogue” discussions throughout 2013. Welcoming the large[Read More…]
US: Wisconsin blight report highlights need for GMO potato research
While local farmers are dealing with a recent report of disease in a local potato crop, they are joining researchers to figure out how to engineer the spuds to avoid such problems. It’s serious business in Portage County, where more than a quarter of all Wisconsin potatoes are grown. University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers and other experts talked about those disease[Read More…]
Africa: A new chapter in the story of the Irish Potato
The potato famine drove millions of Irish to starvation and across the Atlantic to America. Now, the American Irish can help to make the Irish potato the saviour of African farmers. Ireland and the United States will collaborate in a historic programme in Africa to make potato the great hunger-buster for small farmers. By 2020, one million potato farmers (equal to the number of Irish farmers in 1847) will be assisted through this programme to lift their communities out of hunger and poverty
Source: www.irishcentral.com
Editor & Publisher: Lukie Pieterse
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