Potato growers are being warned that they must exercise extreme caution in terms of managing their stores this year if they are to avoid serious problems and incurring significant crop losses.

“After a promising start, this really is turning into a very difficult season,” said United Agri Products (UAP) potato specialist Barrie Florendine. “Although the earlier threat from blight has subsided somewhat, growers certainly can’t afford to relax.

“Growing conditions throughout the country have been exceptionally difficult, particularly on farms with heavier soils or fields where drainage is impeded. Crops that are in the ground therefore have a considerably higher than normal rot potential, which makes it very important to formulate a strategy to maximise recovery. There’s very little that’s commercially positive about the situation, but careful planning will limit the damage and maximise the tonnage of saleable tubers.

“Much will depend on harvesting conditions and the weather during the early storage period. Clearly there’s little that can be done to influence some of the issues that will arise, so it’s important to plan for those which you can. There is no magical ‘chemical’ answer to the difficulties which growers face this year, so it’s vital that they work closely with their agronomist to consider all the options. The key is to know what you’re lifting and to get tubers dry and cool as quickly as possible. That will require detailed forward planning and knowledge.”

Florendine further warned that a number of growers will need to move potatoes before Christmas, meaning that in terms of market values, tubers that are good enough to keep in store into the new year, are likely to command strong prices.

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