News on The Potato Supply Chain from United Kingdom

July 03, 2010

Scottish seed potato business at risk after Dickeya solani outbreak

The Scottish seed potato industry has reacted with anger to the confirmation of another crop of potatoes being infected with the highly infectious and transmissible potato disease dickeya solani which was found in a sample of ware potatoes grown last y...

June 30, 2010

British potato plantings to hit five year low

British potato plantings this year are likely to be the lowest for five years, according to the Potato Council's first crop estimate.It forecast that total plantings would be 2.8% lower than last year at 126,600ha, the smallest area since 2005. With an...

June 17, 2010

Syngenta advises to treat blight and Alternaria separately

Syngenta warns potato growers not to compromise blight control programmes during high risk conditions when tackling the threat of Alternaria.

June 16, 2010

Potato Council looking for nominations for potato award

The Potato Council is seeking nominations for this year’s British Potato Industry Award. The award is presented to an individual recognised for their outstanding contribution to the GB potato industry. Allan Stevenson, PCL Council chairman, comments...

June 16, 2010

Potato Council introduces the Potato Ambassadors

TEN passionate potato growers, ONE aim: to increase potato consumption and sales across the country. That’s the role of the ‘Potato Ambassadors’ who have been recruited and unveiled by Potato Council last night in London

June 07, 2010

Many small companies in the UK potato industry in financial difficulty

Industry analyst Plimsoll has identified 31 small companies in the UK Potatoes industry that are in financial difficulty as the lingering effects of the credit crunch continue to bite hardest at the lower end of the market. According to market analysts...

June 06, 2010

Trial with GM potatoes resistant to late blight approved in United Kingdom

Defra has given scientists at The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) the go ahead to conduct a three-year trial on genetically modified (GM) potatoes. Scientists at TSL - part of the John Innes Centre - are testing potatoes that have been genetically modifie...

June 02, 2010

Potato Council launches Aphids monitoring

The Potato Council has launched its aphid monitoring campaign for this season to provide growers with the latest information on the activity of crop-damaging pests.A network of 100 yellow water traps set up to monitor aphid movements across different p...

June 01, 2010

Mustard Crop cuts potato cyst nematode population

Field-scale trials of a biofumigant mustard crop have given around 50% potato cyst nematode suppression, Andy Barker of Barworth Agriculture told growers. PCN control had become more difficult, particularly since the suspension of use of the soil ste...

May 31, 2010

Congreso Mundial de la Papa 2012, en Edinburgo, Escocia

El Buró de Convenciones de Edimburgo anunció que el octavo Congreso Mundial de la Papa se celebrará en la ciudad de Edimburgo en 2012. Al menos 600 especialistas de papa de todo el mundo asistirán al evento, 417 años después de que Sir Walter Raleigh,...

May 31, 2010

World Potato Congress 2012 in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Edinburgh Convention Bureau has announced that the 8th World Potato Congress will be staged in Edinburgh in 2012.At least 600 potato specialists from around the world will attend the event 417 years after Sir Walter Raleigh, the Elizabethan explore...

May 27, 2010

Infectious potato disease Dickeya Solani found in Scotland

The infectious potato disease Dickeya solani has been found in a ware crop growing in Perthshire.The species is an aggressive, form of the seed-borne bacterial disease, blackleg.Scotland had recently established rules to keep the disease out. But repor...

May 25, 2010

Potato council cuts? Impossible, says chair

Rumours circulating at the weekend that various levy boards such as the British Potato Council would come under the UK government's axe were rubbished yesterday. East Lothian farmer Allan Stevenson said: "If the government intends getting rid of t...

May 18, 2010

Greenvale’s 'Cascade' wins Innovation and Environment Awards

Only months after its launch, Greenvale has won no less than two influential awards for Project Cascade, its innovative root vegetable washing system.

May 16, 2010

Chase (potato) Vodka voted world's best

It is enough to make a patriotic Russian need a stiff drink to get over the shock - an English vodka has been voted the best in the world.

May 08, 2010

Golden Wonder launches marketing campaign to build the brand in Scotland

Snack brand Golden Wonder is set to launch a six-figure marketing campaign to boost the brand across Scotland after what the company says has been a year of substantial growth. The integrated £500,000 campaign represents the first significant marke...

May 05, 2010

Organic Farming shows limited benefit to wildlife

Organic farms may be seen as wildlife friendly, but the benefits to birds, bees and butterflies don’t compensate for the lower yields produced, according to new research from the University of Leeds. In the most detailed, like-for-like comparisons o...

April 28, 2010

Potato Council tenders Potato Storage Research

The annual potato production in GB is approximately 6 million tonnes, of which 60% will be stored prior to fresh consumption or processing. Potato Council is currently supporting research to identify options to improve sprout control, through an imp...