News on Climate Change

Lethbridge researchers study how heat waves and hail affect potato crops. Dr. Neilson finds timing is key, with storms during tuber growth reducing quality. His work aims to create tools to help farmers assess risks and boost crop resilience.

Germany’s POMORROW project will decode the genes of 6,357 potato varieties to advance breeding of drought-tolerant, pest-resistant and nutrient-efficient potatoes, supporting sustainable, climate-smart farming and securing future global food supplies.

Australia faces a potato shortage after its toughest season in a decade. Extreme weather in South Australia, the nation’s main potato region, cut yields, causing supermarket shortages. Mitolo Family Farms cites heat, cold, and drought as main factors.

La papa, la leche, las flores, la fruta. La producción agropecuaria toda a nivel nacional sufre los cortes en las principales arterias del país y las perdidas se vuelven incuantificables.

Thai farmer Wisa Lakkhampa is transforming agriculture through PepsiCo and GIZ’s regenerative farming program. Adopting climate-smart methods, she boosts yields, conserves water, empowers local women, and builds resilience against climate change.

Global potato markets face a 'Potato Flood' as production outpaces demand, causing price crashes and farmer losses. Rising output from Europe, Asia, Egypt, Turkey, and new exporters China and India fuels oversupply, worsened by U.S. tariffs on EU fries.

La recolección de patata en Salamanca sigue lenta: la siembra se retrasó más de un mes por lluvias y, con el poco interés de la distribución y los bajos precios, los agricultores no se animan a iniciar el arranque.

EUROPLANT marked major anniversaries by raising €20,000 (USD 21,400) for AGUAPAN, a Peruvian initiative preserving potato diversity crucial for breeding, climate resilience, and global food security.

Kenya nears release of '3R' Late Blight-resistant potatoes after 20+ years of research by CIP & KALRO. Supported by 2Blades, Feed the Future & Simplot, the varieties promise higher yields, disease protection, and improved food security by 2026.

A new webpage by the Michigan Potato Industry Commission offers growers tools to identify and manage late blight, featuring pathogen details, outbreak protocols, fungicide advice and links to monitoring organizations.

PotatoEurope 2025 set records with 17,268 visitors from 107 countries on Sept 3-4 in Lelystad, Netherlands. Live demos, trial fields, and top innovations like Croptimal’s Croptiscan 9000 highlighted the event. Next edition: Sept 9-10, 2026, Germany.

P.E.I. potato farmers face major crop losses as drought grips the island. With only 10% irrigated land, yields are falling below average. Farmers like Andrew Lawless expect 30% losses, warning climate change demands urgent investment in irrigation.

A Canadian study shows regenerative practices in potato farming boost soil health, yields and carbon capture. Trials found plant diversity raises marketable yield and resilience without more diseases, supporting long term farm viability

A study reveals that potatoes originated from a hybridisation event 9 million years ago in the Andes, when tomato ancestors crossed with Etuberosum plants. This allowed potatoes to form tubers, leading to the diverse species we rely on today.

En el Valle de los Pericos las bajas temperaturas ocasionaron daños en la producción de papa, zapallito, chaucha y frutilla

Europatat Congress 2025 in Lille brought together Europe’s potato leaders to tackle challenges like climate change, shifting consumption, and global trade. With optimism, speakers stressed innovation, sustainability, and adapting to consumer demands.

Open Farm Sunday 2025 saw a 20% rise in host farms, welcoming 200,000 visitors. The event strengthened public connections to farming, highlighted sustainability, and inspired youth interest in agriculture. Next year’s event is on 7th June 2026.

The potato feeds over a billion people but faces disease and limited diversity. Investing in research, breeding, and farmer support is vital to improve resilience and productivity, ensuring it remains a key staple for global food security.