Potato Review

Innovation opportunities A NEW initiative is being announced that may create opportunities for UK potato growers and tech makers to showcase their innovation to Poland and other V-4 countries looking to improve their agricultural productivity. Poland is one of the V-4 countries looking to UK agri-tech innovators to improve the productivity of its agriculture. According to Agri-TechE, the membership organisation for agri-tech, the country is looking to invest in R&D and emerging agri-tech to build on its reputation for Polish agri-food products and to capitalise on the growing demand for more complex food ingredients such as for customised diets. Supplier launchesown crispsbrand THE owner of a Belgian potato wholesaler has now begun producing his own crisps. Owner of Debeuckelaere, Joost Debeuckelaere, has been supplying potatoes to the crisps industry since 2001 and in 2019 decided to look at starting his own line in 2019. His brand, Waltson Chips, was introduced to store shelves in December. It includes three varieties: Natural, paprika, and salt and pepper. Lady Claire potatoes from the Dutch breeder Meijer are used to make the crisps. 40% price increase THE average price for potatoes in Russia increased by 40% compared to last year during the first five weeks of the year, rising from 30.9 rubles/kg ($0.42/kg) to 22.2 rubles/kg ($0.30/kg) one year earlier. The Ministry of Agriculture said that the potato harvest fell by 11.3% in 2020 compared to 2019 and the share of small potatoes also increased. Competition from retailers for large potatoes, had led to the price increase. It expected prices to decline from June when the new harvest arrives on the market. Ukraine shortage prompts imports A SHORTAGE of potatoes in Ukraine means the country became one of the largest importers last year. Andrey Yarmak, economist at the investment department of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) stated that from July 2019 to June 2020 almost half a million tons of fresh potatoes were imported for consumption, excluding seed. It is also the only European country selling potatoes still covered in soil in supermarkets. Audrey said the vast majority of Ukrainian farms that grow potatoes, even professional ones, do not have equipment for bringing potatoes to marketable appearance ie cleaning, washing, sorting, packaging. Ukrainian state-funded program for development of potato sector A STATE-funded program for the development of industrial potato growing for 2021-2025 has been developed by the Institute of Agrarian Economics, in conjunction with the Ukrainian Association of Potato Producers, to aid the country’s ailing potato industry. The programwill include the construction of 35 potato storage facilities in Ukraine with a total storage capacity of 158,600 tonnes, with 30% funding from the state. Four of these, with a capacity of 41,000 tonnes, will be built in the Cherkasy region, eight storage facilities for 38,200 tonnes in Lviv region, six storage facilities for 29,000 tonnes in Chernihiv region, three storage facilities for 15,000 tonnes in Zhytomyr region, and two storage facilities with a capacity of 17,000 tonnes in Kherson region. In other regions, construction is planned in smaller volumes. The number of industrial potato farms in Ukraine is reduced annually by 10-13% because of lack of profit, business risks and the need for high investment, the association claims. Germany’s “craziest potato seasons ever” CONSUMPTION of fresh German table potatoes is again showing a slight increase, according to potato trader Karto§el-Marketing LLC. But the market has been fluctuating a lot as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, notes Stefan Eusterbrock, Co-Managing Director of the Westphalia company. He said in a recent interview: “The current price range for firm cooking potatoes is between €4 and €14 per 100 kg. This is very unusual. This is one of the craziest potato seasons ever.” Good stock fromGerman production is currently in great demand among domestic packers, but the willingness of producers to sell is low. It has been an extremely di®cult season so far, the potato trader said. “Firm-cooking potatoes were traded at €5 per 100 kg during the harvest. Then, fromOctober onwards, prices increased slightly.” He added that the strong price di§erences are also related to quality problems. Demand for seedpotatoes better than last year THE Egyptian seed potato season has been much better than last year according to Mohamed Younes, quality control engineer for Chipsy For Food Industries. In a recent interview, he said the company’s seed potatoes from Egypt will find their way for export for the first time this year. “This season for seed potatoes has been quite good. I believe we can achieve 85% of the goals we initially aimed for, which is a great percentage given the circumstances in the world right now,” he said. While currently marketing products locally in Egypt he said there were plans to export to many foreign countries this year, including Pakistan. www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW MARCH/APRIL 2021 55 INTERNATIONAL