The potato planting is going well at Caledonia Potatoes in Perthshire, Scotland. "We are about halfway through, which is later than some. In the last couple of weeks, conditions were sub-optimal, but we are now back on track," said Robert Doig from the company.
"We are ahead of where we normally are and way ahead of where we were last year when we were still planting in June. Some English growers took advantage of the good weather and started planting in March, but the majority of Scottish growers were a bit later. In general, we are a month earlier than normal."
In the 2023-24 season, potato stocks were short, then with the cold, late spring in 2024, yield potential dropped, and a short season was predicted.
"Last summer, free market potatoes were very expensive, £600 per tonne, which is very high, and those who had a crop made a lot of money. This year, with the early spring, it will be a very different situation, so those with potatoes in stores won't have to make them last. The free market prices are under a lot of pressure right now."
Since Brexit, British potato seed has not been allowed to be sold in Europe, which was a major blow to the Scottish seed industry. In October 2024, a team from the EU carried out an audit on British potatoes, where they went through English and Scottish protocols.
"We were one of the two Scottish farms visited by the team from the EU. The word is that it went well, but we have not heard anything since. The report will be presented to various bodies for discussion, so it may take a while before anything is decided. One thing which may play in our favour is that since Brexit, there has been a shortage of seed potatoes in Europe, which has seen prices increase. The EU doesn't import seed from any third country, so to do so would be a big step for them."
For more information:
Robert Doig
Caledonia Potatoes
Tel: +44 1738 446 723
[email protected]
www.caledoniapotatoes.com