03.02.2021
news-single-imgcaption" style="width:180px">Leo von Kameke Photo: UNICA
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The increased discourse about the future direction of the agriculture and food industry and thus also the potato sector has increased in intensity and sharpness, according to UNIKA at the general meeting. The goals adopted across the EU as part of the “Green Deal” or the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies have long since entered national legislation.
UNIKA has accompanied this process intensively and through many initiatives and activities in order to help shape the framework conditions for the potato industry. The focus here was on the arable farming strategy 2035, the implementation of the insect protection action program and advocating modern breeding methods and fair competition.
On the other hand, the Covid 19 pandemic demanded special efforts from the actors along the potatoes value chain. Existing supply chains had to be maintained and alternative uses had to be found for unpredictable market surpluses. The heavy mortgage that began with the first lockdown in spring 2020 due to the drastic drop in sales and prices in the processing potatoes sector was overcome with a great deal of effort by the industry. However, rising production costs for irrigation, maintaining the health of the crops and storage also put pressure on the profitability of potato production.
Leo von Kameke, managing partner of the Solana Group, has been appointed deputy chairman of the board. Von Kameke is taking over the baton from Torsten Spill, longstanding managing director of Solana GmbH & Co. KG, who was actively involved in the potato industry as chairman of the advisory board and most recently as deputy chairman of the UNIKA board.
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