News on Potato Trade from United Kingdom

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has welcomed confirmation from DEFRA that exports of seed potatoes from Scotland to Northern Ireland can restart from September 30, but has reacted with disbelief that the UK Government hasn’t raised the issue of exports to the EU since March.

Agristo is now a good 2 years into the finalization of Brexit. The French Fry company can look back up to this day and safely say Agristo has done everything to uphold one of its core values, which is to service and unburden their clients in any way possible.

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has again called on the UK Government to get a deal in place that would see the resumption of exports of Scottish seed potatoes to the EU and Northern Ireland.

On 9 December, the European Parliament will hold a public hearing on 'the impact of Brexit on European agricultural markets'. Europatat would like to use this opportunity to highlight the impact of no agreement on their sector.

NFU Scotland vice president Andrew Connon has described the post-Brexit cessation of seed exports to Europe as 'purely political and totally unacceptable'.

A trade row between Brussels and London threatened to erupt tonight after UK ministers banned the import of seed potatoes from EU countries in a victory for Scottish farmers.

HMRC has now released trade data covering up to the end of February 2021. In January, after the end of the transition period to leave the European Union (EU), we saw some teething issues in exports. Did these continue into February?

As the first month of import and export data of potatoes and potato products after Brexit is in, the AHDB takes a closer look at the data and what they could mean. Across all potato product categories recorded, UK imports and exports have fallen from December with figures at the lowest reported this marketing season.

AHDB Head of Export Trade Development for Potatoes, Patrick Hughes spoke of the importance of the EU market to seed potato growers and how he was hoping for a rapid resolution to the prohibition on UK exports to the Continent.

The Scottish Government has said the seed potato industry is facing disaster through the Brexit deal. Exports of seed potatoes - a vital Scottish export - will not be part of a trade deal between the UK and EU

In mainland Europe the widespread closure of restaurants and other food service outlets has meant that demand for processed potato products has fallen significantly.

Haith Group, a leading designer and manufacturer of potato handling equipment, used the Fruit Logistica (5-7 February) to ramp-up its post-Brexit preparations as the company looks to continue its excellent European export levels.

The fresh chipping sector makes up about 12% of total potato production in Great Britain. The market follows season trends with demand driven by chip shop footfall throughout the year.

After spending 2018 opening the doors to new markets for British seed potatoes, the AHDB Exports team will focus in 2019 on strengthening relationships with existing markets.

The Potato Processing companies in the United Kingdom have released a statement through the Potato Processors’ Association Ltd (PPA), expressing their concern for the impact of current weather conditions on UK potato processing sector.

AHDB Potatoes is encouraging seed potato producers to consider Cuba as an export destination after recent meetings with Government officials in the country.

United Kingdom potato trade saw strong performance from its processed potato sectors in the first seven months of the 2017/18 marketing season. Trade of frozen potato has seen strong growth both leaving and entering the UK, although imports still outweigh exports by ten-fold.

One of the key features of the biennial British Potato event is the seminar programme and the approaching Brexit is of course a topic that must be front and center at an event in the United Kingdom.