Potato plantings down 3% to third lowest area on record

Official estimates released this week have revealed that potato plantings in the UK have fallen to 119,000 hectares, the third lowest area on record.

Marking a 3 per cent drop on last year, the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board( AH DB) which released the figures said that the industry would, however, maintain supplies of the Britishgrown crop.

The news comes in a challenging season for potato growers, with the hot weather and drought like- ly to affect yields. However AHDB potato director Dr Rob Clayton said that the industry was resilient.

He said that while no one was underestimating just how tough a season it had been for growers, supply chains were working closely with the industry and that continual improve - ments were leading to reduced food waste at all points from the grower to the consumer.

The ultimate size of the potato crop, and how the market might firm in response, would remain unknown until harvest, said Clayton - but he indicated that at five year aver- age yields, the total potato harvest would be close to 5.7 million tonnes(mt).

He said that following the cold and wet winter the industry had faced one of the driest combined June and July periods on record - so most growers were reporting that yields will be down:

“Farmers have been working round the clock to minimise this, with teams working overnight so that any water used do es not evaporate in the hot sun.

“There is still some growing season togo, so it is impossible to accurately predict how far down they will be.”