During the Interpom trade show, the Belgian region of Wallonie presented the Louisa variety, created in Belgium using classical selection techniques (non-GMO). “Its main assets are a great yield, regular grade, excellent coloration when fried and high resistance to mildew. Louisa therefore requires less fungicidal treatments and can be cultivated according to conventional and organic methods”, as communicated by Apaq-W in a press release.
The Louisa variety was selected by the Walloon Agricultural Research Center (CRA-W), and is currently cultivated by four farmers over 14 hectares. This production is destined for the Roger&Roger company, located in Mouscron (Belgium) and specialized in the manufacturing of potato and corn-based snacks.
Belgium cultivates over 230,000 hectares of potato crops (200,000 acres in 2015), half of which in the region of Wallonie. The Belgian production represents 4 to 5 millions of tons with a worth of 300 to 400 millions of euros [340 to 440 million USD]. Belgium is the world’s largest exporter (in volume) of potato-based products and frozen fries, exporting over 2,5 millions of tons of finished products to more than 150 countries.
