The coldest Easter since 1894 and the wettest winter in 50 years means that Jersey Royal potatoes are running well behind their usual start.
Soil temperatures, running at 6.5°C, are a third lower than usual at this time of year. With daytime temperatures barely hitting 9°C, it has been dropping to freezing at night. William Church, who has returned to the Jersey Royal Company as sales and marketing director after a 20-month break, said: “We always do sequential plantings but these have been interrupted because of the wet weather. Temperatures have not even hit double figures so the whole development of the crop is delayed.”
At this point in the season, liftings have usually started in earnest on the outdoor early slopes on the island, but it will be late April or even early May before any significant volume will be lifted outdoors. Church said: “We are running about two to three weeks behind recent seasons, but everyone is in the same boat; Cornwall has had frosts and a torrid time trying to plant. There is a shortage on the market so we know there is healthy demand.” Yields could also be down from the average five tonnes an acre in Jersey to just two to three tonnes. Church said: “Some of the early liftings will be lighter in volume and tuber sizes might be slightly smaller. But that’s not to say we won’t have a good May and June. There is plenty of moisture in the soil and the crop is grown under plastic.”
Meanwhile, JRC, which accounts for some 60 per cent of the island’s Jersey Royal crop, has launched a new 500g pack with Tesco designed to highlight the premium quality of the brand. The firm has also announced that Nigel Holliday has been promoted to commercial director, and that Graeme Stokes is the new director of health and safety.
Pictured left to right: Holliday, Church and Stokes
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