BRUSSELS: Belgium is the world’s largest exporter of frozen potato products. Romain Cools from Belgapom, says: “Belgian companies annually process almost 4.5 million tonnes of potatoes into chips, crisps and other products, 90 per cent of which are exported throughout the world. If the sector wants to dedicate itself to sustainable growth, we will need more and better potatoes, and we will have to get these by optimally using natural resources. But we cannot expand the agricultural area. With the help of WatchITGrow, we can better follow the potato production, and increase returns. That is how the potato supply chain, as a flagship of the Belgian agrarian-food sector, can guarantee and further expand its part as a world player in the potato industry.”
The introduction of web platform WatchITGrow took place. This is a cooperation between BELSPO, VITO, CRA-W and ULG and Belgapom. WatchITGrow is a new geo-information platform developed for the potato sector with, as its goal, better estimating the Belgian potato production, and sustain-ably increasing it. With this web tool, Belgian potato supply chains as well as the potato trade and processing organisations can quickly request data and information about the growth of different types of potatoes in a user-friendly manner.
