Jun 28, 2024World Potato Congress honors 9 industry leaders at awards gala
The World Potato Congress honored nine industry leaders for dedication and innovation in enhancing potato production and sustainability during its 12th annual meeting, held June 23-26 in Adelaide, Australia.
Peter VanderZaag, WPC president, presented the awards at the event’s closing gala dinner, attended by more than 800 guests.
“These individuals have made remarkable contributions to the potato industry, and their work has had a profound impact on communities worldwide,” VanderZaag said in a news release.
Award winners
- Nelio Campelio, Philippines: Recognized for adopting the Apical Rooted Cutting technique and establishing a family business that transformed potato production with the locally bred variety Igorota.
- Walter Davidson, Canada: Honored for building W.D. Potato Ltd., a third-generation, family-owned business that significantly impacts the potato chip processing industry in North America.
- Abd-Allah Md Dhaif-Allah, Yemen: Commended for supporting the Thamar Valley community with excellent seed potatoes and contributing to food security despite ongoing conflict in Yemen.
- Paul Horne, Australia: Celebrated for his work in integrated pest management (IPM) and reducing pesticide reliance, benefiting potato crops and other agricultural sectors.
- Liping Jin, China: Acknowledged for breeding more than 30 potato varieties, publishing significant research and increasing potato yields across China.
- Mohinder Singh Kadian, India: Recognized for his decades-long dedication to potato crop improvement in India and South Asia benefiting the farming community.
- Frank Mitolo, Australia: Honored for leading Mitolo Family Farms, a vertically integrated business that has become a cornerstone of Australian agriculture.
- Alan Pye, South Australia and New Zealand (posthumously): Celebrated for his visionary work in the potato industry, including founding Parilla Premium Potatoes and contributing to Dairy Holdings.
- Dengshe (Don) Wang, China: Commended for founding SnowValley Agriculture Group, developing new potato varieties, and enhancing the potato industry in China.
