News on Potato Varieties and Seed

David Douches, a professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and director of the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics Program, has been at the forefront of the potato’s transition as people get more adventurous with their eating habits.

Manitoba’s potato sector is gearing up to supply an expanding industry but seed supplies will be tight after a tough harvest last season. A number of producers are planning capital upgrades to keep up with the rise in demand.

The legal battle between a number of potato farmers in Gujarat accused of illegally growing a proprietary variety and food and beverage manufacturer PepsiCo India may be headed for an out-of-court settlement.

Leading farmers unions and rights advocacy groups have demanded that the PepsiCo immediately withdraw all legal suits it has slapped on many potato farmers in different districts of Gujarat.

Irish potatoes have prevented another major humanitarian food crisis in one of the poorest and most remote parts of Ethiopia, according to aid organization Concern Worldwide.

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) have estimated that the upcoming area for
consumption potatoes in 2019 will increase between 1 and 2 % towards almost 604.000 ha in the 5
main production countries.

Tong Engineering designed and custom-built a seed potato grading facility for B&C Farming, based on the company's current and future requirements as specified by managing director Tony Bambridge

PepsiCo has sued three potato farmers in Gujarat complaining that they have been illegally growing and selling a variety of potato exclusively registered to Pepsico for the use of producing its Lays potato chips.

A New Brunswick-grown industry partnership will see Grand Falls host an all-new edition of the major farming trade show AgriExpo this summer.

Kenyan farmers are facing a shortage of certified seed potatoes following the rejection of 78 percent of the planting materials that had been imported last year.

Seed potato supplier HZPC Holland has established the expected prices it will pay to its growers and the organisation expects to pay its Dutch growers a record price of € 41,- per 100 kilo

Cavendish Farms is working to develop potato varieties that can thrive in dry growing conditions on Prince Edward Island, says the company’s president Robert Irving.

The Odisha Government has decided to approve a major project with the International Potato Centre (CIP) focused on sustainable intensification of potato cultivation in order to achieve self-sufficiency in production in this Indian State.

Breeders Trust, the organization that defends the Plant Breeders’ Rights of 10 leading European potato breeders, won a lawsuit earlier this month against the Danish potato export and trading company Myco Seed A/S located in Give (Denmark).

An acute shortage of potatoes has hit Nyandarua County, a top producer of potatoes in Kenya and in fact, the entire country is suffering from a shortage.

Last Friday, potato cooperative Agrico celebrated the official opening of its new quality centre. The centre was built last year behind the company's head office in Emmeloord.

In Nepal, Mukunda Ranjit is recognized by the Kantipur Foundation as Kantipur Icon 2018 in the category Science and Technology for his work to make potatoes virus-free, pioneering this initiative in South Asia.

The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) selects new boards.