TRADE AND MARKETING Nematodes change UK market tode problem, which hasn’t happened, I’m afraid. Luckily, we can choose from a number of resistant varieties today. Without this option, our yields would certainly be under considerable pressure’, Legge explains to buyer Chris Marshall of small-packaging firm QV Foods. He prefers to grow early varieties, which he can sell very well in this market segments. Percentage of bakers determines the price David Mitchell is in search of varieties that taste good. LOCAL FOR LOCAL SEED POTATO STRATEGY Also in a country like Great Britain, KWS employs the ‘local for local’ strategy for producing and supplying seed potatoes. ‘We’re breeding varieties that we want to produce for our customers in the best possible location. In Great Britain, this involves some additional aspects such as the cheapest possible transport costs. The reason for this is that there’s “quite a bit of water” between the European mainland and the UK. Also, British chauvinism and the fear of brown rot being introduced are reasons for growing seed locally. We’re doing that on our own initiative with the Ramos, for example. We have great hopes for this variety on the British market. For other varieties, such as our VR808 chips variety, we’re still growing a small amount of seed in the Netherlands. We do this in close consultation with the buyer, naturally’, Brondijk explains. Doubling This year, KWS has grown a total of 250 hectares of seed in Great Britain. ‘We’re planning to double that every two years up to 1,000 hectares in 2015’, explains Brondijk. ‘Because of the limited availability of locally-grown planting stock, it’s not possible at this moment to grow the necessary seed in the UK, but we’ll certainly be able to manage that in about four years. It’s for that reason that we’re still importing 4,500 tons of seed from the Netherlands.’ A new variety for which KWS has high hopes, is the Eurostar. ‘This variety which stores well, has a broad Ro1, Pa2 and 3 nematode resistance, yields well with less nitrogen and shows a considerable resistance to Phytophthora. An additional advantage is that it’s a multi-purpose variety. This year, the variety is also part of the taste test that’s being held by supermarket chain Waitrose. Eurostar was introduced in the UK in 2013 and will carry on in 2014 with at least 10 times the 2013 amount. If this success continues, there will be good cultivation and marketing opportunities for this young variety in the future’, is Brondijk’s firm conviction. Legge’s business suffered from excessive rainfall last year. ‘The 2012 harvest drama hasn’t been forgotten’, he says. This year, too, heavy rainfall is causing a great many problems. Because of the late, cold spring and the relatively hot summer, despite irrigating several times, yields per hectare are lower than what he is used to. He also emphasises that it is important to have a high percentage of table potatoes as bakers. A good percentage is from 60 percent upwards, but that will not happen this year. ‘The baker market determines our price’, he explains. Fortunately, the Ramos variety can be sold in different markets. This will give him that little bit extra, which he can use very well after those poor years. ‘The Ramos was introduced to the British market in 2008. In 2012, the consumption acreage had already reached 1,250 hectares and in 2013 it increased to 1,750 hectares. The variety is expected to expand to more than 2,250 hectares in 2014. The multi-purpose function of the variety has definitely contributed to this rapid increase. In addition to its fine storage quality, it’s the excellent taste of the Ramos that’s highly appreciated in the fish & chips market. Added to this is its Ro1 nematode resistance, which all helps us enormously in the variety’s acceptance and marketing. In the thriving fish & chips market, its fine taste helps it to stand out’, Brondijk sketches the development in the UK. Import necessary Potato merchant David Mitchell from Rugby whole-heartedly agrees with that. His family business, which he runs together with his brother, is specialised 22 Potato World 2013 • number 4 Pagina 21
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