Federal government funds to help expand markets for Canadian potatoes were announced March 15 in Winnipeg. The agriculture department announced $274,000 in funds through Growing Forward 2, which will be used to expand foreign and domestic markets for potatoes “through trade shows, targeted advertising, incoming missions, market research and development, and product promotion.” Announcement of […] Read more
Tag Archives Potatoes
Spuds: will that be boiled or baked, mashed or fried?
Potato growers urged to emphasize the fresh, local aspects, promote new varieties and provide recipes for this versatile, ‘dynamic’ vegetable
Respect the russet! That ringing endorsement of popular potato varieties was accompanied by a table full of 15 new types now ready for evaluation and licence agreements. Agriculture Canada had the new varieties on display at the Lethbridge Research Centre Feb. 15 and held a joint video conference involving researchers in Lethbridge, Guelph, Ont. and […] Read more
New potato processing plant announced for southern Alta.
A new potato processing facility in Lethbridge, to be built by Cavendish Farms, was announced Dec. 12 at Lethbridge city hall. It is expected to create demand for an additional 9,000 acres of potatoes in southern Alberta. Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman said in a news release that the project, with an investment of at least […] Read more
Prairie potato yields continue to rise
Manitoba yields have risen steadily over the past five years and the hope is to compete with Washington and Idaho
Potato storage sheds in Manitoba are full, thanks to blockbuster yields this fall. In fact, yields were so large that a portion of Manitoba’s potato crop is still in the ground. “Some people had yields they were just not anticipating,” said Dan Sawatzky, manager of the Keystone Potato Producers Association. “They ran out of storage […] Read more
From plantlet to tuber: the story behind the staple
Modern potatoes start as tiny plantlets that take years of nurturing before they become a full-grown tuber for the seed market. It can be a risky business. New varieties may offer disease tolerance or turn into tastier french fries but have little value if the market rejects them. “At the end, it is the consumer […] Read more
Insect found in Alberta but disease not present
The psyllid story sets up like a good news-bad news scenario. The bad news is that the potato psyllid, a tiny insect that can carry zebra chip disease that is harmful to potato production and appearance, has been found in Alberta. The good news is that it isn’t carrying the disease. Dan Johnson, an entomologist […] Read more
Spore ID helps prevent late blight
Identifying the different genotypes will help growers select the right fungicide
Traps designed to identify potato blight spores could help potato growers prevent infection of their crops. Researcher and Lethbridge College instructor Melanie Kalischuk is in the second year of a three-year project to erect a network of volumetric traps that will help her and her students identify the presence of late blight spores. The information […] Read more
New potato seeds could spark revolution
True Potato Seed technology Green fruit grows on potatoes and provides an alternative to seed potatoes
BRODERICK, Sask. — Research underway in Saskatchewan is part of a worldwide revolution in potato production, say officials at Tuberosum Technologies Inc. At a recent open house at the company’s facility in Saskatchewan’s irrigation district near Broderick, TTI showcased its work with true potato seed (TPS) technology. “True seed is basically a sexually produced seed, […] Read more
Canadian potato exports show signs of life
Market rebounding | Asian demand for fries results in increased exports of frozen potatoes
After a decade of declining domestic demand, North America’s potato industry may have a reason to feel hopeful. Kevin MacIsaac, United Potato Growers of Canada general manager, said North American processors exported near record amounts of frozen potatoes to Asia this spring. “There have been some interesting things happening in the frozen market in the […] Read more
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
TABER, Alta. — Don’t treat late blight. Instead, prevent it from ever occurring. That is the key message from plant pathologists and potato industry officials in this region, where the fungal disease caused major losses last year. Late blight kills potato plants and causes tuber rot in storage. It also affects tomatoes, which can be a […] Read more
