TRADE AND MARKETING Secret of the cultivation of Scottish seed potatoes revealed ‘Supplying smaller minitubers causes many more problems in the second growth’, is TLC director Colin Blackhall’s experience. which is led by Archie Gibson, has its offices near Forfar. The company produces 26,000 tons of seed potatoes annually, 80 percent of which is sold within the UK and 20 percent is exported. This means that Agrico has an approximate market share in Scotland of 18 percent, Gibson calculates. The Scottish market has shown highs and considerable lows in the past, according to Gibson. This year, the market has clearly started with a low, for he warns about an enormous pressure on the price. Gibson then gives his outlook on the Scottish potato market. He tells us that 6 million tons of potatoes are harvested annually in the United Kingdom. The annual consumption is 92.8 kilograms per capita. This is almost one kilogram more than Dutch consumption. The British consumer eats over 60 percent of pre-packed, white-fleshed potatoes. These are mainly packaged under own-brand labels. At 13 percent, the Maris Piper variety still has a considerable share. The total market of pre-packed potatoes amounts to over 1.5 million tons. In the 2010 harvest year, this amounted to a shop value of over 900 million British pounds (over 1 billion euros). The potatoes are mainly sold through the supermarket chains. With 30 percent of the market, Tesco is the biggest player, followed at a distance by Asda and Sainsbury’s. Agrico recently introduced the Market share per type/variety 52 w/e 15 May 11 Agrico has an approximate market share in Scotland of 18 percent, Archie Gibson (right) and Russ Kelsey calculate. Athlete variety into the Marks & Spencer supermarkets. Agrico has high expectations of this variety as the Olympic Games are being held in London in 2012. In general, it is not easy to introduce new varieties, Gibson says. He observes that purchasers of supermarket organisations frequently change their varieties. This makes it difficult to talk about long-term trial field results. Moreover, these are people that focus more on the short term, and that is not a strategy that goes well with the introduction of new potato varieties. As far as the future of the cultivation of potatoes is concerned, Gibson foresees problems. Sixty percent of British growers are older than 60 and, in Gibson’s opinion, the next generation is not keen to take over the business. This means that lots of land is already being rented out now, the consequence of which is that the focus of attention is no longer on the quality of the soil, is Gibson’s view. In combination with the effects of the changing climate, this is alarming, says Gibson. To provide the market in the best possible way, salesman Russ Kelsey supports the introduction of multi-purpose varieties. It is for this reason that he expects the Markies variety to expand towards a seed potato area between 500 and 600 hectares in the Market share per supermarket chain 52 w/e 15 May 11 44 Potato World 2012 • number 2 Pagina 43
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