From June 27 to 29, 2022, several Cuban potato growers and other representatives of the country’s spud sector were briefed at the Agro-Food Cluster’s Potato Business School in Emmeloord on the latest insights on potato cultivation, good agricultural practices, farm management, potato storage, and crop protection methods.

Topics such as crop rotation, varieties, row spacing, and biological pest control were among the most debated during the training.

Participants also visited family-owned potato companies such as Van Tilburg, Tolsma/Grisnich, Leber, and the mechanization company Naaktgeboren. Representatives from Agrico, HZPC, and Profyto gave guest lectures on specific topics of their expertise.

Participants and experts concluded that the potential to increase the yield of Dutch seed potatoes in Cuba is real. As a follow-up to the training, the participating growers will replicate the training with other growers in Cuba in the coming months. Further exchange with Dutch producers and companies in Cuba is expected to be organized in 2023.

The Netherlands has exported seed potatoes to Cuba for over 20 years now and is the most important supplier of seed potatoes to Cuba. In 2022 Cuban authorities plan to import some 16,000 tons from the Dutch consortium of companies that include companies such as Agrico, HZPC, Van Rijn, Den Harting, Danespo, IPM, Stet Holland, and Agroplant.