Get the latest storage advice at potato events
The Potato Council Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research is one of the most modern and sophisticated such research establishments in the world, writes Ajay Jina.
It offers a range of free services to Potato Council levy payers, including initial telephone advice on storage and expert advice on disease diagnosis or configuration of store layouts. In addition, for a modest fee, the centre will arrange for Sutton Bridge specialists to make site visits and store audits.
The new building, opened in 2010, consists of an umbrella structure with six storage units enabling storage experiments on field vegetables like carrots, onions and broccoli as well as on potatoes. Each unit is fitted with a sophisticated, reversible ventilation system in addition to a humidification system providing evaporative cooling and an adjustable fridge capacity that uses an environmentally-friendly refrigerant.
Potato and vegetable producers need to maintain their competitive position, which entails effective monitoring of all costs. With the new facilities, we can identify the most cost-effective means of maintaining the quality and value of stored potatoes and field vegetables.
Understanding sustainability is key to the future, and storage improvements can offer substantial benefits, after as little as two years. However, growers should also be looking at long term strategy for storage and contemplating investments to provide for the next 10 to 20 years.
The Potato Council Sutton Bridge Storage Day at Spalding, Lincolnshire, on November 28 and 29 offers growers and agronomists a unique opportunity to benefit from the latest research and advice and engage with experts on key storage challenges. This year we will hold an evening reception on the November 28, which will be a great networking opportunity.
This will be followed by the full day that will feature a first-rate line-up of speakers. Furthermore, there will be question and answer sessions with panels chaired by the Fresh Potato Suppliers' Association and Potato Processors' Association. There will also be workshops, displays and demonstrations on areas of Potato Council research and SBCSR expertise including CIPC, Blackheart, automated detection of skin defects, thermal imaging, alternative sprout suppressants and a pathology clinic.
Ajay Jina is development executive for Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research
