Cornish spuds off to a flying start – others slow

Monday, 2 February, 1998

By FWi staff

POTATO growers in Cornwall made a rapid start on this seasons crop of first-earlies, according to the British Potato Council this week. About 300 hectares of potatoes were planted by the end of January – the most since 1992.

Recent cold weather has enabled many Cornish farmers to make up for delays caused by a wet December. Many crops could be ready by May, says a BPC report on early crop prospects.

But early plantings in the rest of the country are likely to be down on last year, the report adds.

Plantings in Kent are thought to be 5-10% down on 1997. Conditions on Romney Marsh are too wet for fieldwork and growers are eager to avoid late frosts.

The prospect of late frosts has also delayed farmers in Suffolk. No plantings are expected before the end of this month. As a result, the area of first-earlies this year is expected to be down by as much as 15% on 1997.

In Pembrokeshire, wet and frozen soil has limited planting to only three hectares on Anglesey. This time last year, 16 hectares had been planted in Wales.

And merchants say a drop in seed sales in Lincolnshire could mean a 10% reduction in the area of first-earlies grown in the county this season.

Growers in Cheshire are reported to be sacrificing first-earlies for varieties grown for the catering trade.

High rainfall in Scotland has eased and growers are said to be “keen to get stocks in the ground”. About six hectares have been planted, compared with 16 hectares this time last year.