Potato News from Asia

August 27, 2014

West Bengal halts potato export again; Odisha says enough stock

Potato supply from West Bengal was disrupted again with the authorities of the neighbouring state re-imposing transport restrictions from today (August 24, 2014), a week after Trinamool Congress (TMC) government there relaxed movement of this vegetable variety to Odisha.

India's government asked PepsiCo to develop nutritious processed foods to be included in school lunches around the country, food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Tuesday after a meeting with Pepsico chief executive officer Indra Nooyi.

August 27, 2014

India asks Pepsico to make 107 million school lunches healthier

India’s government is seeking help from an unlikely partner to feed millions of its hungriest children: PepsiCo Inc, the world’s largest snack maker.

Drum Dryer - heart of the potato flakes production process (Courtesy: Tummers Methodic)

August 07, 2014

Potato flakes processing plant in West Bengal uncertain

The future of the West Bengal government's proposed potato flakes processing unit at Sheoraphuli in Hooghly district seems to be uncertain with no private company ready to invest in the facility so far.

August 06, 2014

Himalya International terminating joint venture with Simplot

Himalya International Ltd, a food processing firm based in India, is terminating its frozen foods joint venture (JV) with US-based J R Simplot Company, as per a stock market disclosure.

July 31, 2014

Ban on transportation of potato outside Bengal stays in place

To prevent rising prices of potato in the state, the West Bengal government has decided to continue a ban on its transportation to other states and abroad until normal situation was restored.

July 30, 2014

Potato, Tomato prices continue to skyrocket in India

Potato prices are rising in North India due to a lack of supply

July 20, 2014

Pakistan allows additional duty-free import of potatoes to curb prices

Pakistan is to allow duty-free import of another 100.000 tonnes of potatoes - in addition to the earlier approved 200.000 tonnes.

July 16, 2014

Baked Lay's Salad Chips: How R&D Helps Drive China Business

PepsiCo research and development leveraged Lay’s potato chips’ strong equity in China to introduce a new and unexpected snack for consumers.

July 14, 2014

ConAgra Foods Acquires Chinese Potato Processor TaiMei Potato Industry Limited

ConAgra Foods, Inc., announced that it has acquired TaiMei Potato Industry Limited, a potato processor in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia. The acquisition expands ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston operations in a market that has growing demand for frozen potato products.

July 03, 2014

Indian government empowers States to deal with high Potato Prices

The Narendra Modi government (India) on Tuesday decided to bring onions and potatoes under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to curb black marketing and hoarding, blamed for recent surge in prices. This will empower states to impose caps on stocks of these two vegetables for traders.

Inaugural Ceremony of Kiremko Potato Chips Processing Unit At Fryo Foods by Mr. Alphonsus Stoelinga, Ambassador of the Netherlands in India

June 25, 2014

Dutch firm Kiremko enters crowded Potato Chips Market in India

Earlier this month, the inaugural ceremony took place of Fryo's state of the art potato chips line built by Dutch equipment manufacturer Kiremko

June 15, 2014

Balaji Group to increase capacity at Rajkot snack plant by 50 percent

Rajkot-based Balaji Wafers Private Limited is in process of increasing its production capacity of its plant in Rajkot by 50 percent.

June 15, 2014

Balaji Wafers now plans IPO; has dropped stake sale option

Indian snacks maker Balaji Wafers Private Limited is now preparing to come out with an initial public offering (IPO) to raise fund for its future expansions. The company that was in talks with private equity (PE) funds to sell stake, has dropped the idea of stake sale for now.

Potato Cultivation In Tajikistan (2004; Courtesy CIP)

June 09, 2014

Russian company ready to supply elite and super elite potato seeds to Tajikistan

Tajikistan intends to increase potato production and Russia’s Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC) Kolnag is ready to provide local farming units with elite and super elite potato seeds

June 05, 2014

Aviko invests in Chinese Fries Factory Snow Valley

Aviko has acquired a majority interest in a fries factory in the north-east of China, which will be renamed Aviko-Snow Valley. The company plans to expand french fry production and add manufacturing of potato flakes.

June 05, 2014

Aviko investeert in Chinese fritesfabriek Snow Valley

Aviko neemt een meerderheidsbelang in een fritesfabriek in het noordoosten van China, die nu Aviko - Snow Valley zal gaan heten. Het bedrijf verwacht de produktie capaciteit fors uit te breiden en een vlokkenlijn toe te voegen

May 29, 2014

Poor crop in India has raised potato prices, leaving snack-makers in a spot

Fries, chips and flakes manufacturers in India are concerned over firm prices of potato, which has seen a jump owing to poor crop this year. Companies assure that an increase in retail price was unlikely to take place in the short run.

May 27, 2014

Profit ITC's FMCG business excluding cigarettes up

ITC Ltd's operating profit from its fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) business excluding cigarettes jumped three-and-a-half times to Rs 43 crore during the January-March quarter from Rs 11.87 crore in the corresponding period a year ago