CULTIVATION AND TECHNOLOGY Organic sector struggles with cultivation and marketing According to Anton Haverkort’s calculation, the footprint of organic potatoes is indeed more favourable than that of conventional ones. rice are its major competitors. But the conventionally-grown potato is also a competitor. Each year, there are new and better varieties. Upscaling is much faster than in the organic sector. Another problem that presents itself is: the lack of high-quality organic varieties. Breeders in the BioImpuls project are currently working very hard on high-yielding Phytophthora-resistant varieties, but things are not moving fast enough. Selection needs more time. However, the market can’t wait for that and that’s why growers are starting to use make-shift solutions such as growing popular conventionally-grown varieties. This subsequently meets with problems such as the high susceptibility to Phytophthora, at least that’s how growers experience it in practice. As a result, the yield fails to come up to that of conventional growing and the slightly higher prices don’t offer sufficient compensation. The problem is that the same potatoes are also on the shelves but these are conventionallygrown. They are cheaper and don’t generally look less attractive. Call for own marketing organisation What is most lacking is a story, the Audience concludes. Does the consumer know enough about the efforts made by the sector? Are buyers of potatoes sufficiently impressed by facts such as no artificial fertiliser or chemicals? Should we not be communicating more about taste, perception, pictures and chat from a farmer who cares deeply about nature? Who are the people behind the organic potato? The question also is: who should support that message? So far, organic potato growers haven’t received a lot of support from any of the other parties in the chain. For most traders who market their produce, organic is a sideline; it doesn’t have any priority, no extra story, the financial interest is small, is what those present observed. What the sector lacks is an organic marketing organisation, is their conclusion. We badly need one to boost our product with a good story for the supermarkets. And then there is the problem of continuity. As a consequence of Phytophthora, organic yields fluctuate more than in conventional growing. It means that there are sometimes shortages in supplies, which is something supermarkets don’t like. The solution could be found in more reliable varieties, but that again requires time to breed these new varieties. So far, the discussion had only focused on table potatoes. Why don’t we do more processing, one grower remarks. That market is much bigger. However, the same problems with the chain apply here as well, as becomes apparent in the continuing discussion. How are processors going to support our chips and crisps with a clear story? Potato growing must stay It is clear that if we want to improve our marketing opportunities, the organic potato sector will have to do a lot of work in every direction. You’d almost wonder whether it wouldn’t be better for the potato to disappear from the cropping plan of the organic farmer, one of those present queries. However, nobody wants to hear about that. The crop fits perfectly in the crop rotation of an organic arable farm. We know what we’re doing, it’s a good crop, is the positive response. The problem clearly lies in the before and after: the lack of resistant varieties and a good marketing plan. One of the most successful options to improve sales, is the formation of a chain organisation which will take on marketing itself and will give impetus to sales arguments. Let’s see if the sector has enough energy and finances to get this initiative off the ground in time. ● Leo Hanse What is most lacking is a story, those present conclude. Does the consumer know enough about the efforts made by the organic sector? Potato World 2011 • number 4 31 Pagina 30
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