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New potato variety named after Newfoundland river

July 18, 2008, St. John’s, N.L. –
A new type of potato – named after Newfoundland’s longest river – will
soon be filling pots and stomachs across the province.

July 18, 2008, St. John’s, N.L. – A new type of potato – named after Newfoundland’s longest river – will soon be filling pots and stomachs across the province.

Agriculture Canada has released the new variety called Exploits, which shares its name with the river that flows through central Newfoundland and past Grand Falls-Windsor.

The potato is resistant to wart, golden nematode and potato virus Y, which are challenges to potato crops in the province.

The round, cream-fleshed potato was bred by retired St. John’s researcher Ken Proudfoot, and was developed by scientist Agnes Murphy at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton.

It took 10 years to develop.

In 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador produced 12.3 million pounds of potatoes.