Poor weather delays potato planting in the UK

The unsettled weather is hampering progress with potato planting in the United Kingdom, says the Potato Council.

In Cornwall, planting was ahead of last year, but is now falling behind. First crops are marking the rows, with others now starting to emerge. A token start on planting was made in Devon at the beginning of the week.

In the East there was no further planting in Suffolk last week because of wet conditions, and no start possible in other areas.

Some potato growers are reporting difficulty in obtaining sufficient land to rent, with owners preferring to offer for cereal crops instead.