News on The Potato Supply Chain from Belgium

Dewulf, full-liner in machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, has introduced several new options for their MH 24x series of receiving hoppers.

RUCIP European Committee -  the organisation that looks after the rules and practices of the Inter-European Trade in Potatoes - has a new internal organisation and new leadership.

Luik Natie opened a new cold store at the beginning of 2019. Just under two years later, the opening of a new frozen storage area is planned.

Belgapom has selected Christophe Vermeulen as the successor to Romain Cools as the CEO of Belgapom. He will also act as the director of FVPhouse.

Dewulf, a manufacturer of potato harvesters from Belgium, launches an entirely new 4-row self-propelled sieving harvester: the Enduro. This harvester on tyres is equipped with new technologies in the areas of ground pressure, product cleaning and flow, and buffer capacity.

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) estimates that the total harvest will be 27.9 million tons this season if all potatoes in the ground will be indeed harvested. The harvest is later than usual with all the risks involved.

With a new board, Belgapom starts its new search for a successor to Romain Cools as CEO of the Belgian potato trade and processing industry

The European Potato Trade Association Europatat has appointed Romans Vorss as the new Technical Affairs Director of the Association, with effect as of 26 October 2020.

Last week, the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG) association announced their harvest estimate for the 2020/2021 season.

An overview of the Belgian agricultural landscape. The cropmap shows the main crop type on each individual field cultivated in the 2020 growing season and is openly available via an interactive online viewer.

Dewulf, full-liner in machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, have fitted their renowned R3060 series sieving harvesters with several updates. Every new R3060 is now equipped with a brand new, more environmentally friendly Scania Stage V engine.

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) have estimated that the overall consumption potato yields are on 5 years average level.

The Board of Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, is pleased to announce the appointment of Berta Redondo Benito as the new Secretary-General of the association, with effect as of 1st of September 2020.

La Comisión Europea ha aprobado un plan búlgaro de aproximadamente 29 millones de euros para ayudar a los agricultores que crían rumiantes grandes y pequeños y a los productores de patatas afectados por el brote de coronavirus.

Less cultivating equipment required by cleverly combining field and machine data. This data is displayed on the digital platform AVR Connect, offering the farmer improved, real time insights into what is going on inside the machine, how it is operating, and how the process can be made more efficient.

The Potato Industry Trade Show Interpom that was scheduled later this year in Kortrijk Xpo (Belgium) is postponed until November 2021

Respectfully using our soils and cultivating efficiently are key for a sustainable agricultural sector. Both private individuals – who determine demand in supermarkets – and governments are calling for a change of techniques, which is clear from the fact that all manner of chemical crop protection products and weed killers are rapidly and increasingly being prohibited.

Free, downloadable publication by TOMRA Food for Potato Fresh Packers addresses challenges intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.