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Waste an Opportunity for Potato Producers - SAC Message for Perth and York
While Scotland’s potato growers will face a real challenge raising yields sufficiently quickly to feed a growing world population they can make a significant contribution by cutting out waste.
That was a key message from SAC Potato Consultant Stuart Wale. Addressing the eleventh annual conference of the Scottish Agricultural College Association of Potato Producers in Perth (SACAPP) he outlined the example set by supermarket chain Waitrose.
Simon Bowen from Solanum, who pack all of Waitrose’s potatoes later explained how waste was measured and being tackled. Over 42% of the raw material is wasted in the process of getting to the point of sale. There is clearly a lot of scope for improvement and this requires growers considering every aspect of production. Simon Bowen suggested rotations should be extended to 8 years as a way to limit losses.
This was just one example where the latest report for Government on Food Security - The Future of Food and Farming - from the Foresight committee, resonated with the conference audience. Peter Gregory the Director of SCRI and a contributor to the report continued the theme on Food Security in his well received vision of the future direction for potatoes.
In his talk ‘Potatoes in a changing world – the chips are down’ he explained how research can meet the challenge set down by the Foresight committee. GM potatoes were mentioned but he argued they would be only part of the solution. In any case even if the UK could start breeding potatoes using GM techniques today it would be a decade before new introductions were available. However Professor Gregory suggested the public mood is changing in respect of GM.
Elsewhere on the agenda the Conference covered the usual eclectic but practical mix designed for a farming audience. Subjects addressed included diffuse pollution, an overview of Potato Council research, virus spread, varieties for the future, residues, electricity costs and much more.
SAC’s Stuart Wale told his audience:
“In the long run, only quality produce will achieve the best prices every year. ‘Going the extra mile for effective potato production’ which is the theme of the conference is just what is required to achieve quality”.
Now, for the first time SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) is offering potato growers in the north of England the package their Scottish counterparts have had for eleven years. At an inaugural conference in York, on February 17th, SAC will launch SAC Association of Potato Producers – England, or SACAPP. It will give English growers the same inside track on the latest research and developments in their sector that Scottish producers have valued for over a decade.
SAC has had a Potato Consultant working across Northern England for the last 7 years and opened its new office in York just over twelve months ago from where two potato specialists provide independent, research- driven, agronomy and consultancy advice. Senior SAC Potato Consultant John Sarup, who leads the operation, is excited by this latest development.
“We are making what is a hugely successful concept in Scotland more accessible to growers in England. There is a huge amount of information out there for growers so what we aim to do is take the relevant bits and put it into practical applications that growers can use and hopefully profit from”.
The SACAPP England Conference takes place at Askham Bryan College, Askham Bryan, York, YO23 3FR, on Thursday 17th February, starting at 9.45 pm. Those wishing to make a reservation should contact the SAC Office in York, details shown below.
John Sarup can be contacted, his details are also shown below.