TRADE AND MARKET I NG Requested: new HDS varieties due to a sharp rise in flakes and granule production Preferably pale yellow or yellow varieties During a tour of the flake and granule factory in Venray, the Dutch potato growers can see for themselves which contemporary requirements are needed for the production. Two important requirements are that we want varieties that are easy to store (no rot or sugar formation) and resistance plus tolerance for nematodes.’ The addition of tolerance is an important factor for Meijer. According to him, there’s not enough research into that and this should be improved, is the clear message to the breeders’ association. ‘Furthermore, the size should be consistent and as coarse as possible, to prevent (small) tubers staying behind after the harvest, which then results in second growth. This creates a 1 : 1 crop and with that you encourage the spread of nematodes.’ ‘Phytophthora resistance is not a must for processing, but obviously it does play a role for the grower’, Meijer continues. Moreover, black spot, drought resistance and sensitivity to grey discolouration are on the wish list. ‘The latter is also of increasing importance for the high-quality flakes and granule production due to discolouration of the end product. The absence of scab on the skin and the depth of the eyes are also important for the production process, because with scab on the skin the steam-peeling time is longer and that increases the processing costs. Customers of products such as baked moulds that they create from the granules have stepped up their demands when it comes to acrylamide formation. So there’s also the demand for varieties that contain a very minimal amount of mmoles per litre of glucose. There is also a maximum requirement when it comes to the content of glycoalkaloids (TGA). This should not exceed 17 milligrams per 100 grams of potato. ‘The importance of the flesh colour after cooking has been mentioned a few times already. Preferably light yellow to yellow where the flesh colour of the potato is concerned. Cream-coloured puree, there is still a limited market for that, but none at all for white. If necessary, some grey discolouration is allowed.’ Meijer can be brief about the desired taste: ‘That of a Fontane or better.’ 1 million tons of crop What, in a nutshell, are the opportunities for new varieties, is a legitimate question from the growers. ‘Across Europe, 1 million tons of potatoes are already available for this form of processing’, says Meijer. Van Tilburg has already said that Rixona itself purchases 400,000 tons per year, half of which now consists of HDM potatoes. ‘For every 100,000 tons of flake potatoes, roughly 5,000 tons of seed are needed. This amounts to at least 100,000 euros a year in licence fees’, says Meijer. At the two Dutch branches of Rixona, the annual production of flakes/granules is now more than 75,000 tons. The Venray branch processes potatoes into both flakes and granules, the Warffum branch only processes into granules. In China, Rixona also has a large factory for the production of potato flakes. The flake manufacturer now employs 235 people and has an annual turnover of around EUR 70 million. ● Leo Hanse At the two Dutch branches of Rixona, the annual production of flakes/granules is now more than 75,000 tons. Potato World 2018 • number 2 35 Pagina 34
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