News on The Potato Supply Chain from Switzerland

Great news for potato producers: Codex Alimentarius, the 'Food Code' has confirmed the safety of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene (1,4-DMN) for use on potatoes. 1,4-DMN is a naturally occurring biocontrol agent that enhances dormancy, controls spouting and encourages field-fresh quality in stored potatoes.

While most of the United states is more focused on sweet potato recipes - as sweet potatoes are a tradional Thanksgiving dish - Industry is focused on their trading standards. Sweet potato is a tropical plant which, despite its name, is not related to potatoes.

El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific for the first time in seven years, setting the stage for a likely surge in global temperatures and disruptive weather and climate patterns.

Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Carnegie Institution for Science have shown how nitrogen fertilizer could be produced more sustainably. This is necessary not only to protect the climate, but also to reduce dependence on imported natural gas and to increase food security.

Worldwide about a third of all food gets lost before it reaches our stomachs. For Swiss potatoes this is even more – half of the total harvest. Which measures can reduce the loss, and what effect do they have?

In Switzerland, the weather wasn’t on the side of potato producers. After last year’s bad conditions, this year the harvest has literally washed away. There are already farmers who have written off their crops and ploughed under the potato crop.

Syngenta announced today the appointment of J. Erik Fyrwald, currently President and CEO of the U.S. chemistry distribution company Univar Inc., as Chief Executive Officer effective June 1.

Bill Gates, who is a major backer of food biotechnology, has spoken passionately how food biotechnology can help the people of Africa fight the numerous challenges they face.

Syngenta today announced that ChemChina has offered to acquire the company at US$ 465 per ordinary share plus a special dividend of CHF 5 to be paid conditional upon and prior to closing.

On the way from field to fork, more than half of the potato harvest is lost. This is according to a new study conducted by researchers from Agroscope and ETH Zürich.

The extreme weather in Switzerland will affect the upcoming potato harvest. Tubers are small, so the supply is expected to be tight.

U.S.-based Monsanto said Wednesday it is walking away from efforts to acquire Swiss rival Syngenta, which has rejected a recently sweetened offer.

Syngenta has rejected an updated merger proposal from Monsanto.

Syngenta reacts to the acquisition offer of Monsanto reported in the media in this response dated May 8, 2015

According to first harvest estimates in late August, the Swiss potato harvest will be smaller than previous years' average.

The 2011 potato growing season in Switzerland was a special one. "It was summer in the spring, it was fall in the summer and it was summer in the fall"is how the season was described by Ruedi Fischer, president of the Vereinigung der Schweize...

Despite a bumper potato harvest this year, growers’ joy is being spoiled by big retailers squeezing them on price and rejecting bigger-than-average spuds. Charlotte shouldn’t be bigger than size 60-120. Nothing to do with a farmers lonely hearts colum...

Syngenta, het Zwitserse agrochemieconcern, verwacht volgens marktonderzoeksbureau MarketWatch een stijgende vraag naar zaden en bestrijdingsmiddelen en zal zijn omzet verdubbelen in 2015. Het bedrijf is momenteel de zaad-en gewasbeschermingsdivisies aa...