UK: The British potato growers underestimate their own sector

According to industry experts, British potato growers massively underestimate the economic importance of their sector. This could well be £4.5 billion, rather than the commonly used estimate of £765 million. At the SAC Association of Potato Producers (SACAP) conference in Dundee, SRUC senior agricultural economist Steven Thomson told his audience that underestimating the sector makes the sector less politically important. Thomson: “Farmers need to understand the importance of the whole chain rather than just looking at the individual farm, otherwise there will be no political pressure to step in and support the industry in growing disease resistant varieties or changing cultivation methods. On the other hand, the output of the Scottish beef sector is worth £950m, but they tell the Scottish Government they are worth £3bn because they look at the whole industry.” According to Thomson, the economic impact of potatoes ...