News on The Potato Supply Chain from Canada

Cavendish farms haven’t laid off any staff yet because of the coronavirus (COVID-19), but a spokeswoman for the company says short-term layoffs are expected.

Québec Parmentier merges with Patate-Saint-Ambroise of Saguenay. The joint announcement was made by Pierre Chouinard, Chief Executive Officer of Québec Parmentier and Mathieu Bouchard, President of Patate-Saint-Ambroise.

COVID-19-related restaurant closures lead to ‘curtailment’ of french fry production. Cavendish Farms has advised the P.E.I. potato producers under contract to supply the company with spuds to 'sell to other markets if they can'.

More than $3 million is being invested in studying a major cause of potato yield reduction in Prince Edward Island and other spud-growing areas in Canada.

The increase in world potato production stalled in 2018 and failed to recover significantly in 2019. World output slipped by 1.5% to 368.247 million tonnes in 2018 figures just released by the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation show.

A growing number of Prince Edward Island potato farms are taking advantage of new technology to improve their use of crop protectants, including fungicides used to prevent late blight.

The International Potato Technology Expo and conference returns to the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island next month, February 21 & 22. The event welcomes those who grow and package potatoes...

Registration is now open for restaurants hoping to be crowned champion during the 3rd annual Potahto Week presented by Peak of the Market. The 10-day event challenges restaurants to put forward a signature dish made with Manitoba grown potatoes.

Annual event caps off 40th Anniversary celebrations in 2019 highlighted by CAD 75 Million in investments at facilities in Portage la Prairie and Carberry.

The International Potato Technology Expo returns to the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown February 21-22, 2020. The event welcomes those who grow and package potatoes, as well as leading suppliers from across the Maritimes and beyond.

Earlier this week, Potato Processor McCain Foods (Canada) announced the company will invest CAD 80 million towards the creation of a new Formed Potato Specialty production line to expand its existing french fry plant in Grand Falls, NB.

Frost last week ended Manitoba’s potato harvest, leaving thousands of acres undug.
It’s the second year wet soils prevented potato farmers from getting all the crop off before heavy frost ruined it.

Potato processing plants in Manitoba and Alberta may not run at full capacity this winter. About 20,000 acres of potatoes were in the ground in Manitoba as of the middle of October, and growers needed two weeks of favourable weather to harvest the crop.

World Potato Congress recently announced that Greg Donald has joined its Board of Directors. Greg Donald has been the General Manager of the PEI Potato Board since 2009.

Manitoba potato growers are hoping the 2019 harvest isn’t a repeat of 2018. Harvest has been delayed in many areas after 50 to 125 millimetres of rain has fallen since Sept. 20.

Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board, says he hopes potato fields will be able to absorb a lot of the moisture from Tuesday's rain. Island potato farmers are hoping Tuesday's heavy rain isn't a sign of things to come.

The United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) has released its most recent Canadian Potato Crop Report.

Canadian potato grower, shipper and packer Thomas Fresh launches a unique line of Alberta grown potatoes