The 2023 Variety and Seedling Show was dedicated to Agrico's 50th anniversary. On Thursday 9 and Friday 10 November, the existing and latest breeding results were on display at Agrico Research. The show featured over 65 of our innovative varieties. These varieties meet the specific needs of growers, the processing industry and consumer demand now and in the future, anywhere in the world.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary, showcasing the spotlight varieties, introducing the new variety Fajah, networking with likeminded people in the potato industry and with the one and only potato 'walk of fame', it was a truly great and innovative show.

With more than 50 years of experience, there were more than 50 reasons to visit our show this year. All these reasons could be found at the Variety Show. Visitors also left their own reasons to visit. Some of these were:

• ''Refresh myself again for ideas and passion for potatoes.''
  
  
• ''With the expansion of the French fry’s industry in Brazil it is important to learn about the new potato varieties and network with our suppliers.''
  
  
• ''To meet the Agrico family again and enjoy the Lugano fries.''

Many of our own and visitors’ reasons were captured by our photographer. Do you want to take a closer look at this year’s variety show? All photos can be found by clicking the button below.

This year, one new Agrico variety joined the National Variety List. During Jan van Hoogen's annual speech, he told visitors about the new variety Fajah. He also awarded the variety statue to grower R. Rispens. This statue is given to all Agrico breeders who get their variety on the National Variety List.

Fajah (RP 10-1003) is an early and strong ware variety with large, regular tubers with a relatively high dry matter content. Fajah has a yellow skin color, good heat tolerance and a good yield.

Every year Agrico announces the spotlight varieties for the coming year during its Variety Show. For the 2023/2024 season, Lugano and Jacky will be in the spotlight.

• Lugano: Early maincrop, yellow flesh processing variety with good resistances to potato cyst nematodes. The variety has large tubers and good processing characteristics. Lugano also has good a dormancy and storability. This makes Lugano very successful in the French fry industry and traditional markets.
  
  
• Jacky: A second early, small size ware variety with a high yield and late blight resistance in foliage and tuber. Jacky is a Next Generation variety suitable for retail and the 'convenience' (chilled) market.

The potatoes lifted from the ground by Agrico growers here in the Netherlands, are replanted elsewhere in the world to grow into mature plants. The earth connects us all and we look after it. Agrico passionately contributes to food security for a growing world population. Agrico has committed itself to this mission for the past 50 years ‘with heart and soil’. This is how Agrico contributes to income security and food security for the growing world population.

In addition, this was the last variety show for Jan van Hoogen, before he hands over the baton to 'the next generation', Mark Zuidhof. "This is my last year as general director and chairman of the variety committee. I am very happy with my successor" van Hoogen says in his speech.