Potato developments in a changing Europe

This book discusses developments in the potato industry in a rapidly changing Europe. The European Union expanded recently with ten additional countries of which many are major potato producing countries. The papers in this book reflect societal and commercial changes such as consumer behaviour and marketing aspects in relation to fresh and processed potatoes in western, central and eastern Europe. Seed trade between western and central Europe is entering a new stage with altered inspection requirements, quarantine regulations and variety needs and acceptance. Resistance to diseases present in varieties in central and eastern Europe needs to be coupled to consumer and processor acceptance. Retailers and processors, Europe wide, lead the way at the global level to establish labels and certificates to assure food safety and sustainability. The technical part of the books treats improving the use of chemical fertilisers and crop protection agents increasingly aided by precision farming techniques. Modern molecular breeding techniques for improved resistance and quality are highlighted and their perspectives are shown for breeding programs Europe wide. The book concludes with developments in the potato supply chain, marketing and research and developments in a representative number of central European countries. It shows how each potato industry in transition deals with the socio-economic and environmental situation in varying degrees of development to adapt to a changing Europe.