Potatoes are an important crop across the globe, with Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK and Belgium ringing in as the five biggest potato producers in Northwestern Europe at the beginning of this year. In 2020 alone, the EU harvested 55.3 million tonnes of potatoes, according to the EU’s Eurostat. This year proved to be a crucial one for the starchy vegetable as European Seed covered stories that dove into true potato seeds, CRISPR, production updates and more.
Learn more about potatoes with these five stories.
Drought Drops European Potato Crop by 7 to 11 Percent
Following a long and unusually hot and dry summer, the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG) predicted that potato production in their region would drop by seven to 11 per cent, a Sept. 9 news release said.
True Potato Seeds Could Feed the World
While the future of true potato seeds is still in the distance, experts say they could have major implications for the future.
How True Potato Seeds Can Fight Food Insecurity in Africa
Food insecurity is continuing to grow as populations increase. In Africa, the population is growing at alarming rates, causing food demand to triple within the next two years. As concerns mount about how to feed a growing population, true potato seeds may just help solve some of those problems.
European Potato Acres Rise, Beating Expectations
Acreage predictions before the growing season had potato area in Europe falling, but growers planted more than expected, a June 28 news release from the North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) said.
Less Browning and Lower Acrylamide Levels Achieved in Potatoes Thanks to CRISPR
A researcher in Australia was successful in producing gene-edited potatoes with decreased cold-induced sweetening and acrylamide formation in fried potato products, an option that may prove to be better for the economy and human health.
