Potato News from United Kingdom

August 21, 2012

Progressive Potato Farming conference to highlight new innovation and ideas

After an incredibly challenging season for potato growers, the ADAS Syngenta 2012 Potato Conference and Exhibition is perfectly timed to provide the essential new technical innovation and marketing inspiration for all growers, agronomists and potato industry specialists.

August 20, 2012

How packaging convinces you food tastes better

Supermarket food packaging doesn't just tempt you into putting it in your basket - new Which? research reveals that the packaging actually increases how tasty you perceive a product to be. To test the power of packaging, we asked two groups of people ...

August 20, 2012

British growers advised to take care with pulverisation amid high blackleg risk

With bacterial disease blackleg posing a threat to Scottish seed potato crops for a second consecutive season, there was advice at Potatoes in Practice on managing the risk of spread during haulm destruction.

August 19, 2012

Quality problems on the rise for British potato growers

Figures from the Potato Council Grower Panel Lifting Survey estimate that 11,600ha (10%) was cleared to Friday August 10, compared with 12,500 ha (10%) the same week in 2011 and 13,000 ha (10%) in 2010.

August 17, 2012

Food Industry expert Alan Burgess joins Spice Application Systems

Experienced food industry professional Alan Burgess has joined Spice Application Systems (SAS) as a director, taking on responsibility for sales and marketing, project development and day-to-day operations. The move will see Peter King, founder and ma...

August 17, 2012

Blackleg concerns over Scottish seed crop

Wet weather is once again favouring blackleg development in Scottish seed potato crops, although disease levels are believed currently to be below the record levels seen in 2011.

August 16, 2012

Oils could reduce viruses in seed potatoes

The application of oils has the potential to assist in the control of non-persistent viruses in potato seed crops. However, more work is required to establish the effects on seed crops.

August 15, 2012

Potato wart disease cleared from Northern Irish fields

A scheme to clear fields in Northern Ireland of potato wart disease has been hailed as a success.

August 14, 2012

Jerry Knox to speak of lessons from the wettest drought at East of England Potato Day

Jerry Knox from Cranfield University will discuss the lessons learnt from the wettest drought in history at the East of England Potato Day

August 14, 2012

New British app allows potato chip bags to predict the weather

It is probably hard to go wrong with a promotion based on the British obsession with the weather. That is why packets of Walkers crisps, as the Brits call potato chips, will feature augmented reality weather forecasts using an app from Blippar.

August 12, 2012

Dundee conference hears Scotland's potato farmers harvest fears

Scotland's potato farmers are predicting one of the worst harvests in recent years. Crops are expected to be down by as much as 50% in places due to a combination of heavy rain and little sunshine. Producers have said it has been one of the most chal...

August 09, 2012

Potato Council calls on industry to highlight potato diversity in Potato Week

In the run up to Potato Week (1-7 October 2012), Potato Council is turning to growers and farm shops to help spread the message that there is more to potatoes than meets the eye. To coincide with the launch of its high profile consumer campaign that w...

August 09, 2012

Tong Peal marks the final countdown to Potato Europe

Tong Peal Engineering is set to showcase its latest range of processing equipment at Potato Europe, one of Europe’s largest potato exhibitions.

August 06, 2012

Nick Bunker appointed CEO of new KP Snacks

United Biscuits (UB) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive to head up its recently separated snacks business which is to be re-named KP Snacks. The snacks business is the second largest bagged snack company in the UK and has s...

August 06, 2012

Crisps: an icon for the British Consumer

If you observe Brits' lunch habits, you'll discover the obsession of the Nation for crisps. While, according to Mintel's latest research into savoury snacks, the vast majority (76%) of Brits would typically lunch on a sandwich - or roll or wrap - 40% w...

August 05, 2012

Case study: How to build a potato storage facility

A new 2,700 tonne potato storage facility – constructed and equipped as a ‘turnkey’ project by Crop Systems Ltd - is helping Shropshire growers J M Bubb and Son hit and beat exacting targets for both energy and CIPC usage.

August 02, 2012

Potato Council invites you to Potato Europe

Potato importers and growers looking to import high quality seed potatoes are warmly invited to visit the Potato Council pavilion at Potato Europe (Villers-Saint-Christophe, France, September 12-13). This is an ideal opportunity for potential importer...

August 02, 2012

Disaster looming for potato producers in Scotland's Borders region

The wet summer is affecting most farmers in the Borders, with the possible exception of berry growers. Potato producers face the most severe challenges