Potato News from Belgium

June 02, 2008

EFSA Acrylamide risk opinion remains unchanged

Efforts to reduce acrylamide remain a priority as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concludes risk assessments regarding the carcinogen will stay the same. EFSA organised a scientific colloquium in Italy last month, to debate how the current po...

May 26, 2008

Agrana acquires 50% of Studen Group

Leading sugar and starch producer in Central and Eastern Europe, Agrana has announced it has acquired, subject to regulatory authority approval, 50 per cent of the shares in the sugar sales operations of the Studen Group, Vienna.

May 24, 2008

Aardappelsector bindt strijd aan tegen aardappelcysteaaltjes

In 2010 wordt de aardappelcysterichtlijn van kracht. Hiermee wil Europa de verspreiding van het aardappelcysteaaltje een halt toeroepen. In Vlaanderen worden vooral bintjes geteeld, een ras dat niet resistent is tegen de aaltjes. Begin dit jaar is o...

May 12, 2008

Gain Report: Discussion Paper of German Ag-Industry about EU Biotech Policy Implications

A group of German food and feed industry associations released a discussion paper expressing the industries' concerns about the negative implications of the EU biotech policy. The industry is highly concerned that the EU policy on biotechnology will...

May 07, 2008

EU delays decision on licensing to grow new biotech crops

The European Commission has delayed decisions on licensing the cultivation of three biotech crops.This raises new doubts about whether the EU will live up to promises to open its market to genetically modified foods.EU officials say the two corn and o...

May 05, 2008

Environmental groups urge EU to reject 3 new biotech crops

Environmental groups appealed to the European Union on Monday to reject applications from the biotech industry to approve one newly engineered potato variety and two corn crops. Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Europe also argued for rules to ensu...

April 24, 2008

Belgie: Minister wil duidelijkheid over de prijs van de frietzak.

Minister voor Ondernemen en Vereenvoudigen Vincent Van Quickenborne wil duidelijkheid over de prijs van de frietzak. Hij vraagt de mededingingsautoriteit een vooronderzoek uit te voeren naar het prijsverschil tussen aardappelen en het pakje friet. Vor...

April 18, 2008

BASF threatens EU over Amflora Starch Potato

For nine months, the European Commission has been considering whether to approve the cultivation of Amflora, a genetically engineered starch potato. On Thursday, the company involved said it would take the EU executive to court if it doesn't decide s...

April 18, 2008

Eerste Frietmuseum begin mei open

Het eerste frietmuseum ter wereld in het Belgische Brugge opent op 1 mei haar deuren. In het museum worden meer dan vierhonderd objecten getoond die de geschiedenis van de aardappel en friet illustreren. Het Frietmuseum komt in de Saaihallen in Bru...

April 14, 2008

Potato Starch Manufacturers see commercial opportunity for amylopectin starch from GMO potatoes

AVEBE, Emsland and Lyckeby, the three leading European potato starch producers, are calling on the European Commission to approve Amflora for commercial cultivation in Europe. Amflora is a genetically enhanced starch potato developed by BASF Plant Sci...

March 21, 2008

NEPG expects small reduction in 2008 potato planting

During their last meeting in Belgium at the beginning of March the NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) discussed a possible reduction in the 2008 potato area in the 5 main producing countries (Germany, France, Belgium, GB and The Netherlands)...

March 18, 2008

Sustainability, Eco-Efficiency, Traceability initiative BASF helps ensure food safety, measure sustainability

BASF has developed a tool for its customers in the food industry which affords detailed information on the composition of products and manufacturing methods, including levels of sustainability achieved in production. The SET data is available to custom...

March 18, 2008

Bemora Restaurantketens halen meer omzet met minder klanten

De Belgische restaurantketens die onder de koepel van beroepsvereniging Bemora vallen, hebben hun vergelijkbare omzet vorig jaar met 4,7 procent zien toenemen, maar kregen bijna een procent minder klanten over de vloer.De gemiddelde ticketbesteding (zo...

March 14, 2008

Consumers would spend more on greener goods - survey

European consumers will generally consider paying more for environmentally friendly manufactured products, though encouragement may be needed to make good on their promises, according to a new survey. The findings, by research group Eurobarometer, sug...

March 12, 2008

McDonald's België maakt voor tweede jaar op rij winst

McDonald's België heeft in 2007 voor het tweede jaar op rij winst gemaakt. De winst is ook gestegen, net zoals het marktaandeel van de Amerikaanse fastfoodketen in ons land. Dat maakte kersvers algemeen directeur Stephan De Brouwer dinsdag bekend op ee...

March 10, 2008

BASF Delays Gene-Modified Potato Crop, Blames EU for Inaction

BASF SE,the world's largest chemicals maker, postponed cultivation of the genetically modified Amflora potato to at least next year after the European Commission failed to rule on its approval. The European Union's executive body "is violating th...

March 07, 2008

Hoe ziet de verwerkende industrie de toekomst van de aardappelsector?

De evoluties in de graan- en suikermarkt doen vele vragen stellen omtrent de toekomst van de akkerbouwsector. Ook de aardappelsector komt daarbij prominent in beeld. Welke zijn de ontwikkelingen die we in die sector kunnen verwachten? Marcel Delamilli...

March 06, 2008

Europatat centralises the European (seed) potato trade in Berne

Europatat, the European Union of the Potato Trade, is inviting its members and the other links in the potato trade at its 60th general assembly in the Swiss capital Berne from 29 till 31 May 2008. The congress is composed out of 3 pillars: the commissi...