Potato Council at Fruit Logistica 2013

A first for British exports in 2013 will be a joint stand from Potato Council and the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) at Fruit Logistica in Berlin in February next year.

Divisions of the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), these sectors are working closely together to promote GB seed potatoes and raise the profile of the diversity and quality of UK horticultural crops.

Visitors interested in seed potatoes and horticultural produce from GB are warmly invited to visit the stand to meet key producers, exporters and technical experts and discuss industry developments and business requirements.

Potato Council, which supports the GB potato industry, has presented a successful seed, varieties and export stand at the event for the past three years but the 2013 stand, located in Hall 8.2/A-07, will be the biggest yet.

At Fruit Logistica Potato Council will be promoting the benefits of the high quality seed potatoes grown in GB, which have a reputable plant health status.

Robert Burns, Head of Seed Export at the Potato Council, says: “GB undergoes rigorous inspections and certification which actively promotes healthy, vigorous seed.

“GB produces a wealth of varieties, bred specifically to match domestic and overseas growing conditions and grown successfully in more than 50 countries.

“We encourage our growers and customers to grow and buy seed produced within the ‘Safe Haven’ scheme. This is a Potato Council-sponsored quality assurance scheme which provides seed growers and purchasers with extra confidence in the high health and quality of the seed product.”
 Mr Burns says that due to its favourable growing conditions, GB has low-disease risk and its seed industry and government regulatory authorities work together with Potato Council to check and maintain the seed’s disease-free status. In fact, authorities in England have recently strengthened existing plant health legislation to ensure our seed production chain remains protected from quarantine diseases that affect other parts of Europe.

Expert crop storage advisers will be on hand from Potato Council’s Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research facility (SBCSR), the UK’s leading post-harvest applied research facility for agricultural storage;visitors can access this expertise on the stand throughout the event.

Mr Burns adds: “Potato Council works to support the seed growing and export industry and we are here at Fruit Logistica in 2013 to demonstrate typical GB varieties. Our seed breeders and exporters will be on the stand to talk to customers and contacts about how GB seed can help potato businesses worldwide. Find out how GB seed potatoes and our crop storage expertise can help your business or organisation.”

Source: Potato Council