How GB Potatoes gives potato industry the voice it needs

Four years on since the establishment of GB Potatoes, the industry-led organisation is providing a voice for potato growers and ensuring the sector has representation at government level.

“The demise of AHDB Potatoes left a major gap in research and industry representation. Without GB Potatoes stepping in, there was no organisation only focused on representing potato growers and wider industry,” explains the organisation’s chief executive Scott Walker.

Membership numbers

GB Potatoes has strong support from across the supply chain, particularly among processors and packers, and its overall membership continues to grow.

However, the organisation recognises that there is still considerable scope to increase membership and is encouraging more growers to join.

“A broader membership base will strengthen GB Potatoes’ mandate and help ensure it can represent the industry with an even stronger and more united voice,” says Scott.

See also: Relay cropping: What it is and how it might work in the UK

Grower membership is usually priced at £10/ha according to the area of potatoes grown.

With the cost of producing a potato crop typically about £10,000/ha, membership represents approximately 0.1% of production costs.

GB Potatoes is currently offering a promotional rate for new grower members, equivalent to £15/month for smaller growers and £50/month for larger businesses.

According to an SRUC report, the UK potato industry has a farmgate value of £1.5bn and a retail value of £4.5bn, making potatoes the second most valuable crop in the UK after wheat.

“Growers need an organisation that is looking ahead on their behalf and helping them prepare for future challenges, whether that is the withdrawal of crop protection products, changes to market access or increasing pressure on water availability,” says Scott.

Grower perspective

One grower who recognised the need for such an organisation is founder famer Euan Grewar from Dundee, Scotland.

Farming the family business started by his great-grandfather in the early 1900s, Euan says potatoes are the backbone of the enterprise. He farms with his uncle and cousin and their wives.

“We’re fortunate to farm light, sandy soils that are ideal for potato production,” he explains.

The farm produces high-grade seed potatoes – growing more than 30 different varieties for seed – in the Black Isle, near Inverness.

They also grow commercial seed and ware potatoes in Angus and Perthshire.

For Euan, GB Potatoes provides an essential link between growers, researchers and policymakers at a time when the sector faces increasing uncertainty.

“There is so much risk and capital tied up in land, machinery and crop production. The investment is huge and the risks growers carry are significant.”

New insurance scheme for heavy rain

One of GB Potatoes’ most innovative projects is the development of a new parametric insurance scheme designed specifically for potato growers.

Unlike traditional crop insurance scheme, which require growers to prove the extent of losses after an event, parametric insurance is triggered automatically when pre-determined weather thresholds are met.

Using local weather modelling and historical data, the scheme can identify when excessive rainfall has occurred over a specified period and trigger a payout. The focus is primarily on excess rainfall rather than drought.

“More growers now have access to irrigation, so drought can often be managed,” explains Scott. “Excess rainfall is much harder to mitigate against and can have a devastating effect on harvesting and crop quality.”

The initiative aims to address a growing concern among producers that more production risk is being transferred to growers throughout the supply chain. For Euan, the benefits are clear.

“Three years ago during harvest we experienced three separate rainfall events of more than 100mm,” he recalls. “Under this type of scheme, those events would likely have triggered a claim. I can definitely see the value.”

Water security

Water availability is the biggest strategic challenge facing the sector. Reliable access to water is essential to protect current levels of potato production and enable future growth.

Changing weather patterns are making production increasingly difficult, with longer dry periods, more frequent drought conditions and heavier rainfall events.

This reinforces the need for a long-term approach to water management that captures and stores water when it is available and makes it accessible when crops need it most.

GB Potatoes is calling on the government to recognise water as essential food-production infrastructure and to support investment in on-farm reservoirs, irrigation systems, water storage and collaborative schemes.

“Without action to improve water security, the industry’s ability to maintain domestic production, strengthen food security and deliver profitable growth will be increasingly constrained,” says Scott.

Fighting for seed potato exports

Seed potato exports remain another major focus for GB Potatoes. The sector has suffered since losing access to EU markets following Brexit, resulting in reduced demand for high-grade Scottish seed potatoes.

While alternative markets have been developed, including exports to Egypt, these opportunities bring additional logistical challenges and costs.

“Egypt has become an important market, but it’s a significant distance away and shipping costs can be substantial,” says Euan.

The organisation is hopeful the recently agreed sanitary and phytosanitary framework between the UK and EU could eventually help restore access to European markets. However, rebuilding those markets will take time.

“Even if access is secured, it could take three to four years for trade volumes to recover,” says Scott.

What’s more, European growers often require different varieties from those currently being grown for alternative export destinations, which will take time to evolve to market demands.

Supporting research and innovation

Research and innovation remain central to GB Potatoes’ activities. It has worked closely with the government and the Health and Safety Executive on efforts to retain access to important crop protection products, such as mancozeb.

While the mancozeb appeal was unsuccessful, Scott believes the process helped strengthen relationships between the industry and policymakers.

GB Potatoes is also heavily involved in blight monitoring programmes, tracking emerging strains and supporting industry awareness to improve disease management.

Research into free-living nematodes and alternative pest control strategies is another priority as growers adapt to the loss of products such as Vydate.

Farmer perspective

For example, Euan has already changed management practices, growing a radish cover crop ahead of potatoes to suppress free-living nematodes and reduce challenges created by the loss of key chemistry.

“Fighting to maintain the chemistry we have and mitigating the loss of pesticides is a key function of GB Potatoes, and without it growers face a far higher risk and cost of production,” he says.

The organisation also works closely with research bodies such as the James Hutton Institute to support knowledge transfer, variety development and practical on-farm innovation.

Investing in the next generation

One of GB Potatoes’ most ambitious initiatives is the Kickstart programme, designed to attract new talent and research capacity into the potato sector. The programme has secured funding for 24 PhD students across the UK to undertake research focused on key industry challenges.

The aim is to ensure the sector continues to benefit from cutting-edge science while developing the next generation of potato specialists.

“Having an organisation that can bring together science, innovation, government and growers gives the industry direction and confidence,” says Euan.

Consumer eating habits

Changing consumer habits continue to reshape the market. Consumption of fresh potatoes has declined as more consumers choose processed products such as chips and fries, while rice and pasta have become increasingly popular alternatives to potatoes.

To address this trend, GB Potatoes is exploring promotional campaigns and working with industry partners to encourage greater potato consumption.