Potato industry digs in for tough times ahead
Dark clouds overhead and a skim of mud underfoot did not seem to worry the growers and industry specialists attending the largest event in the UK potato sector yesterday but they were given a hefty warning that the industry was facing massive negative challenges in the future.
One of the first to hit will be the consequences of this country leaving the EU in less than 3 months time as there is no agreement in place on what will happen to potato exports.
Speaking at the Dundee event, Rob Clayton from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board said that unless this country gets what is called ‘third party recognition’ there would be no opportunity to export to Europe. This would not only impact on seed potato sales but also, he pointed out, affect a number of growers in England who supply the Irish crisping industry.
“There might be flexibility in the future but there is nothing just now,” he stated.
A similar lack of clarity on the future of £90 million annual seed potato export market was expressed by Gerry Saddler, of the Science and Advice centre for Scottish Agriculture based in Edinburgh who admittedthat resolving the situation might take sometime.
“Both the Scottish Government and Defra appreciate the problem we are facing,” he stated, adding he hoped the politicians would “cut us a little slack” in helping to resolve the situation but admitted it was quite unknown what was going to happen.
One option could be to export as much as possible before the end of October Brexit break but Saddler said there was not only the physical problems with this suggestion but buyers might not want to store seed months before they actually needed it.
On the home front, Ian Toth of the James Hutton Institute told growers there was a need for “urgent action” in dealing with the increased threat of eelworm infestation on land.
He called for concerted action to prevent Globodera Pallida spreading throughout the potato growing areas of the country. He reported that Pallida infestations were doubling every 6 or 7 years and if this continued for another 25 to 30 years there would be no eelworm free land left in the country.
He called for growers to be more aware of the few varieties which are currently resistant to the nematode while plant breeders should endeavour to bring more of these varieties to the market.