Flak for potato council

5 November 1999

Flak for potato council

RESPONSES to our call for comments on the role of the British Potato Council (Arable, Oct 29) have been uniformly negative, contrasting sharply with the many up-beat messages from growers in the BPCs own review prospectus.

JSScholes of Driffield, NYorks, grows 364ha (900 acres) of potatoes but feel support from the BPC is non-existent. "I am a firm believer that we pay the BPC £14,000 a year for the privilege of growing potatoes and see absolutely nothing in return," says Rachel Scholes.

The company, which pre-packs 10,000-15,000t, does its own r&d with seed houses and machinery makers.

"The BPC wants disbanding. We will have a free-for-all for about two or three years, which will sort out the men from the boys and then we would be able to compete on realistic market values."

Another grower with 32ha (80 acres) of potatoes was highly critical of the chairmans role. "He has spent all year telling us we have planted too many potatoes and they will be worth nothing. This is a man who is supposed to be helping our industry, not hindering it.

A fax from Staffordshire was blunter still. "BPC, absolute waste of time!! What have you done for me???"