Versatile potato keeps rising to challenges
Great Britain has the toughest retail specification for fresh potatoes, the highest standards and the best consistency and quality, writes Sophie Lock of the AHDB Potato Council.
However, we are seeing challenging times this season, with the fresh potato industry throughout Europe being hit by declining consumption combined with plentiful production over the last two years, leading to high stocks and a subsequent crash in prices at the farm gate.
Potato growers are passionate and dedicated people but getting best quality potatoes to the plate is getting ever-more technical, with the potato crop requiring specialist machinery, agronomy and management – and significant investment.
Bill Quan is one of Britain's 2,000 or so commercial potato growers, based in Pontrilas, in next-door county Herefordshire. A Potato Council Board member, Bill says: "I think to get through this, both sides need to stick together. The farmer and the buyer need to help each other."
Bill advised growers to grow potatoes only if they have a firm idea of how to sell them. "We have to get close to our customer. Don't grow for the unknown – make sure you have a market." Bill believes that up to a 10 per cent reduction in potato production could be needed to restore the supply-demand balance. "And if every household had one extra meal a week using potatoes, it would be good for the consumer and the grower," he said.
AHDB Potato Council works with growers and stakeholders throughout the potato supply chain on a wide array of research projects and technical campaigns relating to crop production and helping growers' businesses develop. Soon, growers in the West Midlands, Wales, and the South-West will be meeting Potato Council's new Knowledge Transfer team member, Hannah Goodwin.
A graduate of Newport's Harper Adams University, Hannah comes with two and a half years' experience as a senior agri-market analyst in AHDB Market Intelligence and brings strong technical, agronomic, communications expertise and supply chain understanding to AHDB Potato Council's technical team.
"Being part of the team responsible for delivering practical advice, research and development insights, knowledge and technical know-how direct to levy payers is a great opportunity which will really help drive growers' business efficiency and competitiveness," says Hannah.
* Sophie Lock is the communications officer, AHDB Potato Council
