Potato Review

10 POTATO REVIEW JULY/AUGUST 2021 EVENTS: BP2021 F EARS that this year’s British Potato event might be shelved are totally unfounded, organisers have stated, stressing that plans for the November event are well under way and a live event is still very much on the calendar. Show organiser Steve Wellbeloved told the Potato Review: “We’ve had some enquiries in recent weeks about this November’s British Potato show in Harrogate because of the recent poll on AHDB Potatoes. But they’re quick and easy to answer as the show has actually been privately run for over 20 years, so is una ected.” While AHDB is now winding down its activities, following the recent grower ballot calling for the levy to be abolished, the organisation’s own activities are completely separate to that of BP2021, as well as the National Potato Industry Awards (NPIA 2021), both of which are bi-annual events and will progress as planned. Steve said: “ e misperception stems British Potato – the show goes on! Organiser quashes rumours that show will be shelved while sponsors talk about its growth over the years. from the show’s post-war origins when the Government’s focus was on food production and the PMB ran large scale farm demonstrations to encourage mechanisation. In time the focus widened to include agronomy and business matters and the number of static exhibits began to outnumber the working ones. When PMB was replaced by the British Potato Council, a market failure test was applied, meaning the new body could only work where the commercial sector wouldn’t, so its organisational role ceased. “ ere was still the opportunity to focus on its R&D and marketing activities, so it maintained an involvement in the seminars. As you’d expect we’re now talking direct to academic institutions and trade bodies to explore how these develop going forward.” Evolution and market expansion With PMB’s demise, crop marketing opened up, so the show began to cover additional areas and post-farm sector participation has grown enormously, enabling the full supply chain to come together in one place. “Where once the huge crop demonstrations were the unique draw, now it’s the whole industry approach that sets it apart from other shows which tend to be solely production orientated,” Steve said. Among those who have seen the show evolve and been ever present are BP2021 silver sponsors Haith Group and Tong Engineering. Haith Group MD Nigel Haith said: “My father and his team were involved right from when the company began in the 1950s, while one of my earliest recollections is the 1988 show where we were putting the latest Supa-Flow mobile grader through its paces. “We always used to have a caravan onsite and our poster board display would be built in a very speci c way in front of it. Of course, that was to make it attractive to customers, but it was also because, show or no show, my father was always intent on Cutting edge lifting in 1970. Trailer size is a reminder of throughputs achievable 50 years ago.