Potato News from Canada

March 15, 2010

Demand for potatoes drops as Americans eat fewer fries

A delicate global balance in potato trading, and the changes tastes of fry-shy boomers, are hammering the Maritimes potato patch, industry experts say. “U.S. people are eating out less these days,” McCain’s Canada spokesperson Calla Farn told the Sta...

March 15, 2010

Canadian Potato Growers gird for cutbacks

Joe Brennan and his fellow potato growers in New Brunswick are bracing for the fallout from the French fry meltdown.Mr. Brennan, who is also the chairman of Potatoes New Brunswick, the province's potato marketing board, says he will have no choice this...

March 04, 2010

Canadian Top Menu Trends for 2010 (first-ever Canadian chef survey!)

Local, sustainable and organic food choices top the list of what’s hot in Canada’s restaurant kitchens. The trends are revealed in a new survey of professional chefs conducted for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) by independ...

March 02, 2010

Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips, Sweet Maui Onion, May contain Salmonella bacteria

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. are warning the public not to consume Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips - Sweet Maui Onion, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. Hawaiian Kettle Style Po...

February 26, 2010

Cavendish Farms cuts 20 potato farmers

P.E.I.'s farming industry was dealt another blow Friday when it was learned that Irving-owned Cavendish Farms was cutting 20 farmers who normally grow for the company. Agriculture Minster George Webster said Irving is cutting smaller growers with po...

February 24, 2010

McCain Foods buys 20 - 30% less PEI potatoes

McCain Foods Ltd. is cutting the volume of potatoes it buys from P.E.I. farmers by 20 to 30 per cent because of falling demand for french fries, Agriculture Minister George Webster said Tuesday. The cut may mean the company based in Florenceville, N....

Fredericton Potato Research Centre potato display

February 19, 2010

New Canadian Reds on display at Fredericton Potato Research Centre

On February 17, at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton, experimental potato selections were unveiled, including a number of red skins. Red skinned potatoes are hot thanks in part to a consumer and restaurant industry trend toward potatoes that ca...

February 17, 2010

North American Potato prices crushed by low demand

About 100 P.E.I. potato growers met with international representatives of the industry Tuesday to hear the market forecast, and there was little in the way of good news. "It is depressing news,"said Cary Hoffman of the United Potato Growers...

Make Allen announcement at Potatoes New Brunswick Conference

February 11, 2010

Government of Canada Helps Potato Farmers Boost Their Bottom Line

The Government of Canada is helping New Brunswick potato farmers capture new markets and increase profitability by investing in a new market information database that will help producers make more informed decisions.

February 10, 2010

Government of Canada Supporting New Brunswick Potato Farmers

Member of Parliament Mike Allen (Tobique-Mactaquac), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, will be in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, on Thursday, February 11, to make an announcement in support of New Brunswick potato farmers during the Potatoes N...

February 03, 2010

SunChips 100% Compostable Chip Bag in March on Canadian store shelves

Today the SunChips(R) brand, Frito Lay Canada's (a division of PepsiCo) popular line of multigrain snacks, is introducing the world's first 100% compostable chip bag. This green innovation, a first-of-its kind initiative, will change the way Canadians ...

February 03, 2010

New PotatoPro Newsletter: Food Ingredients: Real Simple

Consumers have a strong aversion to difficult terms they do not understand. This is not a new trend and for many years food companies are working to "clean up their labels". But it seems this trend is gaining importance. Read this Newsletter

February 02, 2010

Cutbacks in potato process contracts could push some growers out

A major plan to beef up potato sales is well underway by the P.E.I. Potato Board and the province, but some of the air leaked out of the tires this week with the announcement that processing companies are cutting back.McCains confirmed it would cut abo...

February 02, 2010

Virus limit raised in Prince Edward Island seed potatoes

Prince Edward Island's agriculture minister George Webster is raising the limit on the amount of virus allowed in this year's seed potatoes, which are used to plant the spring crop. Webster said Tuesday that he would double the limit and set it at si...

January 27, 2010

Orville Redenbacher expands new Flavour Shakers popcorn line in Canada

Canadians' top snacking preference is foods that are crispy and crunchy (68%), followed closely by snacks that come in a variety of flavours (66%) and that are hot and fresh (57%), according to a recent poll by Angus Reid Strategies commissioned on beh...

January 26, 2010

PEI Potato Expo picks up major sponsors

Producers of the International Potato Technology Expo (IPTE) are pleased to welcome aboard two recognizable names in the industry as major sponsors for this high caliber event. Syngenta Canada and Farm Credit Canada have both come on board as sponsors ...

January 22, 2010

Canadian Potato Production (Revised January 22, 2010)

Statistics Canada has released the report "Canadian Potato Production"January 22, 2010 with some revised numbers.The publication contains revisions to the 2009 potato production for both Canada and the United States, as well as revisions to ...

January 21, 2010

Se publicó un nuevo número del boletín de PotatoPro

Hemos publicado un nuevo boletín de PotatoPro titulado More Potato Industry Conferences and Trade Shows;PotatoPro Features Si usted está suscrito al servicio de Daily E-mail, no recibirá automáticamente este boletín en su casillero electrónico;para el...