On Wednesday, the 22nd of August, the potato demo day took place on the grounds of the PPO-location in Westmaas. Potato demo day started off in 2001 as a relations event day organized by Nedata B.V., and it grew into a national chain event with international interest. Organizer Marcel Tramper estimated the number of visitors by the end of the day yesterday to be around 6,000.
A sizeable mechanisation park awaited visitors during the potato demo day. There
were harvesting demonstrations, four lectures were held, and it was possible to visit potato demo fields. The number of exhibitors came to 130 this year, and with this
record number of participants, the event was fully booked. It is notable that during
this event the whole chain, from growers to retailers and suppliers, was represented.
This was also by far the 'driest' edition in years, according to participants, and this year it wasn't necessary to wear boots to go out in the field. The good vibe was also remarkable this year, and that was a relief after last year's tough potato season. These were the right ingredients for visitors to discuss this year's theme: 'sustainable towards record yields.'
Geert Staring, general director of Breeders Trust, held a lecture entitled 'Piracy does not belong in sustainability'. Breeders Trust was founded in 2008 by 9 seed potato
growing companies from Germany, Netherlands, France and Denmark, namely
Agrico, C. Meijer, Danespo, Europlant, Germicopa, HZPC, KWS Potato, Norika and
Solana. Breeders Trust supports the participating companies in the area of
compliance with and enforcement of breeder's rights, and the banishing of illegal
production and the trade in starting materials.
Staring illustrated the approach of Breeders Trust with five practice cases. At the end of last year, Breeders Trust tracked down the illegal production and trade of Agria's in Goeree Overflakkee. Staring called it a victory that there is a good amount of social monitoring among companies at the moment. He did, however, indicate that they would crack down whenever companies would resort to cheating again.
AGF.nl and Primeur were also present at the potato demo day, and they made the