Potato News from Asia

January 29, 2013

Potato prices in Bengal continue to decline on rising inflows

Potato prices in West Bengal dipped by about Rs 50-100 a quintal over the weekend on improved supply of potatoes.

January 25, 2013

Washing, grading machine to help boost Pakistani potato export

Pakistan first state of the art potato washing and grading machine was installed in Karachi, which could help boost potato’s dwindling export during the current year.

January 16, 2013

Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation seeks partnership for potato dehydration plant

Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation (GAIC) is looking for private partnership for a potato dehydration plant. GAIC is going to set up its first potato dehydration plant at Deesa in Palanpur town with a handling capacity of 500 kg per hour.

January 15, 2013

New crop arrivals smash potato in West Bengal

Wholesale potato prices in West Bengal softened by nearly 15 per cent this week, due to arrival of new crop.

January 14, 2013

Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2013: McCain Foods to invest in its Mehsana plant, says MD Vikas Mittal

McCain Foods India today said the company plans to invest $ 69 million (over Rs 370 crore) at its potato processing plant at Mehsana in Gujarat, as it looks to cater to the increased demand.

January 10, 2013

Potato bears the brunt of cold wave in India

he intense cold wave in Punjab has resulted in the potato crop not growing over the past several days.

December 17, 2012

Pepsi's low but assured price turns Bengal farmers to Atlanta potatoes

Lufthar Rahman and his neighbours at Abhirampur village in Hooghly in West Bengal have sowed more Atlanta variety of potato this year. It is for use by PepsiCo India for making flakes and other Frito-Lay products.

December 16, 2012

Lays launches Chicken Cola flavored potato chips in China

Pepsico is taking its global Power of One program to jointly promote beverages and snacks a step further in China, with the marriage of two Pepsi brands in a single product: Pepsi-Cola chicken-flavor Lay's potato chips.

December 16, 2012

No GM potatoes used for French Fries in China, say world's largest French fry manufacturers

In a rare joint statement the world's three largest french fry manufacturers spell out that they do not use genetically modified potatoes to produce their french fries in China.

December 12, 2012

High input cost to keep potato prices firm in West Bengal

With the new potato crop expected to be in market over the next two weeks, a sharp rise in input cost is likely to keep the prices firm. Prices of potato seeds in West Bengal, which accounts for 30 per cent of the country’s potato production, have gon...

November 17, 2012

West Bengal potato storage owners demand 50% rent hike

In West Bengal, the joint committee of potato cold storage association has threatened to shut down their units if the state government fails to increase the rent by at least 50 per cent in the wake of hike in electricity tariff.

November 08, 2012

Starch manufacturer China Essence Group issues profit warning

The Board of Directors of China Essence Group Ltd announced that the Group expects to register a net loss for the second quarter ended 30 September 2012 in the financial year ending 31 March 2013

November 07, 2012

Filippino firm Potato Corner planning big expansion in the US

Filippino-owned flavored French fries retailer Potato Corner is planning to expand in the US from the current 13 to as many as 1,000 stores in the next five to seven years.

November 06, 2012

Ban on 'junk food' near schools in India?

The All India Food Processors Association (AIFPA) Wednesday approached the Delhi High Court, pleading that the court should hear them before passing any final order on a petition that seeks ban on carbonated beverages and junk food in school and colleg...

November 04, 2012

Bengal cold storages threaten strike

With potatoes from Punjab expected to reach Bengal only in December, state cold-storage owners are planning to make use of the projected supply crunch from mid-November.

November 04, 2012

Quest for the perfect potato pays off for McCain Foods in India

India’s love affair with the french fry is so intense that the Canadian potato giant is injecting another $69 million on top of its current $37 million investment into greatly increasing output at its plant in Mehsana, which only opened five years ago.

October 26, 2012

Walmart announces new global sustainablity goals in China

Walmart today further strengthened its commitment to a sustainable global supply chain by announcing a series of initiatives to make the company’s supply chain in the United States, China, and around the world more sustainable.

October 24, 2012

Madhya Pradesh to adopt Dutch storage technology

To enhance the storage life of vegetable products, especially of onions and potatoes, Madhya Pradesh government has decided to make changes in the cold-storages here by taking help of the technical know-how available in Holland. "Holland's expert...