PW-ACTUA New varieties necessary to reduce integral chain costs ‘Many of the demands on the processor’s base material today, will still be the same in 2026’, is how agronomist Matthijs Meijer of Aviko Potato starts his address at the meeting of the Midden Nederland Potato Breeders Association (Aardappel Kwekers Vereniging). He was teaching the breeders about the demands which the processor imposes on new varieties so that they can continue to serve as a base material in one of the Aviko factories. From his position, Meijer regards new varieties as an important instrument to lower the integral chain costs of the end product. ‘There’s also a wide range of topics that are important. The quality of the seed potato is naturally a hot item nowadays. I’m very glad that the NAO (Dutch Potato Organisation) and the VAVI (Dutch Association of Potato Processors) have set up a chain project to understand where things go wrong in the chain. This has brought us back on speaking terms again with the seed potato trading companies’, Meijer tells the breeders. In his talk, he then focuses on the demands of the factory on potatoes as a base material. Chip tests To make clear what they are talking about, the kitchen of Restaurant ‘De Goede Aanloop’ in Tollebeek serves two different bags of chips of the Innovator and Fontane varieties. ‘You can test chips very quickly’, Meijer explains. ‘By breaking the chip into two pieces between two fingers, you can first check whether it’s crisp. If the chip breaks, it’s crisp and if it snaps, it isn’t. This not only applies to chips that have just left the fat, but chips must still be crispy after three minutes. By carefully inspecting the broken chip, you can test its cooked quality. A waxy chip isn’t done yet. Also, if you feel rod-shaped starch grains when you roll them, they’re not done’, he offers the breeders a few tips to test chips. Eighty percent return He then delves into the deep The first impression from a new variety in the factory is the most important. ‘If a variety isn’t better than already existing ones, I don’t need it’, Aviko’s Matthijs Meyer says bluntly. to give a picture of the requirements a new variety will need to fulfil in 2026 to be able to lower the chain costs. As it takes ten to fifteen years before a cross reaches the market that would mean that there’s a variety right now on the Aviko wish-list. ‘We’d prefer a variety that has lots of resistances, isn’t susceptible to stress, and has a yield rate of 100 tons per hectare. Also, the variety must be able to be used for all the end products throughout the year. The tubers are brickshaped, have the same length, underwater weight and an even spread of dry matter. The variety is low in sugar, too, and the cooked quality and crispiness of each of the chips should be the same. The variety should have natural dormancy until the end of the season. What’s more, the tubers are thin-skinned, cause no defects and the chips don’t break in the fryer. In theory, such a variety should produce an 80 percent return in the factory’, Meijer describes his dream variety of the future. Priority in new varieties Meijer foresees, however, that such a variety will not be developed for some time to come. ‘In searching for such a variety, we’re also doing a great deal of research ourselves. Our own variety research will only have added value, however, if it gives us a firm lead over the competition. If that’s not possible, we might as well be a follower. This means that we like to have the lead and that we’ll use a variety that suits our purposes or that we’ve developed for five years or so first. Only then can the competition start growing that variety’, Meijer explains the desired Aviko working method. As practical tips, he tells the breeders that a new variety should at least meet the minimum quality requirements and can preferably be used in all the factories in the EU to allow the production of the end product to move around. ‘The variety must be an improvement on the current variety package. With our 12 Potato World 2017 • number 2 Pagina 11
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