AHDB coordinates potato sprout suppression position paper

The British potato industry remains in a state of great uncertainty and at significant risk of crop wastage and economic failure as a result of minimal progress on the availability of suitable sprout suppression chemistry.

The potato storage research team of AHDB has worked closely with industry representatives from the British Potato Trade Association, Fresh Potato Suppliers' Association, National Farmers Union, National Farmers Union of Scotland, and UK Potato Processors' Association to submit a position paper to the Chemical Regulation Division (CRD) of the HSE.

The paper, which was submitted this April, outlines:

• The British potato industry remains in a state of great uncertainty and at significant risk of crop wastage and economic failure as a result of minimal progress on the availability of suitable sprout suppression chemistry.
• Current processes are not adequately addressing the present challenges and degrees of concern facing the potato industry following the loss of chlorpropham (CIPC)
• Delayed approval of suitable replacements has caused distortion of the market due to unfair restrictions placed on GB potatoes in comparison with imports.
• DMN is widely available in the EU (it is currently authorized for use in more than 20 EU Member States) yet remains unavailable to the vast majority of producers in the UK.
• As DMN has not been authorized for unrestricted use in the UK in 2020/21, an artificial market distortion has been created.

The paper goes on to outline detailed context to the current potato storage situation calling upon research, commercial and technical data. It is signed by the following organizations:
 

• AHDB
• British Potato Trade Association
• Fresh Potato Suppliers' Association
• National Farmers Union
• National Farmers Union of Scotland
• UK Potato Processors' Association