News on The Potato Supply Chain from Europe

May 17, 2012

EC approves list of permitted health claims for food

The European Commission has approved a list of 222 health claims for food products. Health claims on food labelling and in advertising, for example on the role of calcium and bone health or vitamin C and the immune system, have become vital marketing tools.

May 16, 2012

Wagenings onderzoek met GM-aardappel bij Raad van State aangevochten

De organisatie Gentechvrije Burgers uit Lelystad heeft een zaak bij de Raad van State aangespannen waarin wordt geëist dat de vergunning die door het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu is verleend aan de Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek van Wageningen Universiteit voor proeven met genetisch gemodificeerde aardappelplanten wordt vernietigd.

May 16, 2012

British Farmers struggle with wet weather

British farmers are warning of possible price rises and even food shortages after admitting they are struggling to cope with some of the wettest Springs in history.

May 15, 2012

Potato company boss faces jail over Sainsbury's scam

A former potato firm director has been told he faces a significant jail term for his role in a bribery scam with a buyer at Sainsbury's.

May 14, 2012

Rhizoctonia hits in cold wet potato seedbeds in Britain

Rhizoctonia is running rife in cold, wet potato seedbeds and hampering crop emergence this season.

May 14, 2012

Scottish potatoes remain free from dickeya

The 2011/12 post harvest tuber survey for potato pathogen dickeya has been completed and all samples tested were found free of infection, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) has announced.

May 13, 2012

Sheet and treat to minimise the blight risk from outgrade piles

As part of the Potato Council’s ‘Fight against blight’ campaign, the mapping of late blight outbreaks has demonstrated outgrade piles remain a significant source of blight in potato crops.

May 13, 2012

Syngenta launches Blightcast, a blight warning system for British potato growers

The Syngenta BlightCast system will give growers and agronomists a five-day advance warning of localised blight risks.

May 11, 2012

Decision due on GM potato trial in Ireland

The Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland is expected to decide by the end of this month whether to allow a field study on genetically modified potatoes.

International Potato Processing and Storage Convention (IPPSC) in Riga

May 10, 2012

Speaker program Potato Processing and Storage convention IPPSC almost complete

The speaker programme for this year's International Potato Processing and Storage Convention (IPPSC) in Riga, Latvia (June 26-28) is almost complete and boasts a mix of international academic, research and industry leaders. North American researchers ...

May 10, 2012

Poultry manure offers potential fertiliser savings to British potato growers

Until now substituting artificial fertiliser with livestock manures for potatoes has been a fairly unscientific art. This year a trial is taking place to assess the potential for significant cost savings.

May 10, 2012

Controle op afdekplicht van aardappel- en uienafvalhopen is gestart

Er wordt door de NAK en BQ Support weer intensief gecontroleerd op onafgedekte aardappel- en uienafvalhopen. Niet of onvoldoende afgedekte afvalhopen met daarop uitgelopen aardappelen en uien zijn vanaf 15 april strafbaar.

May 09, 2012

Cool Farm Institute to improve farming and retail carbon footprint

A new institute to help farmers produce more efficiently and an updated software ‘tool’ that enables farming and food industries to calculate their carbon footprint are launched this week.

May 09, 2012

Texels proefbedrijf werkt aan zilte aardappels

Marc van Rijsselberghe probeert op Texel uit te vinden welke gewassen kunnen groeien in zoute grond en met zout water.

May 09, 2012

'Grow your own potatoes' contributing to AHDB Education Strategy

Both the ‘Grow Your Own Potatoes’ and ‘Cook Your Own Potatoes’ projects from Potato Council are making an important contribution to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Education Strategy 2012-17.

May 08, 2012

Decision support system can help reduce the use of pesticides in Danish potato production

The decision support system “Blight Management” (“Skimmelstyring”) could in the future give Danish potato growers more effective control of potato late blight and reduce the use of fungicides.

May 07, 2012

Price of potatoes expected to soar due to wet weather in Britain

The price of potatoes is expected to soar because the wet weather is delaying planting and slowing down harvests in Britain.

Los agentes causales de la podredumbre blanda de las patatas ocasionan unas pérdidas totales superiores a cualquier otra enfermedad bacteriana. Imagen: UPM.

May 07, 2012

En España identifican genes implicados en la podredumbre blanda de la papa

Una de las infecciones microbianas más frecuentes entre especies de interés para los agricultores, como la patata, es la podredumbre blanda de algunas de sus zonas que hace que el cultivo quede inutilizado. Un equipo internacional de investigadores, l...