Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JULY/AUGUST 2021 11 EVENTS: BP2021 sticking to his habit of a quick 30 minute behind-the-scenes afternoon nap!” Tong Chairman Charles Tong shares similar fond recollections. “My rst show was in the mid-70s and I’ve not missed one since,” he said. “ ey’ve always been very important to us and immensely enjoyable too. At the start, one in three arable growers did potatoes, so we’d see vast crowds and 3-4,000 of our customers! “We’ve seen enormous changes and our Caretaker graders are an example of that. In the late 70s when they were being developed, labour intensive processes meant handling 10t/day was a good result. e graders transformed that 10-fold to around 80-100t/ day and we demonstrated that capability at the shows. Now we see 600-800t/day. Less soil coming in from the harvesters is a factor, but it’s continuous re-engineering that’s driven up both throughput and level of control.” e show continues to showcase cutting edge developments. For 2021, Haith is looking to launch a completely new box tipping system, the Rotatip-Pro, for which the company applied to patent various advanced features. Tong will continue to focus on labour, maintenance and handling e ciency, with further advances on the Caretaker grader and TPS-Pro polisher and three major new launches. Developments aren’t just restricted to the technology itself – Tong will also highlight the bene ts that will follow from phase two build of its major new manufacturing facility, while Haith will feature its evolving collaboration with Grimme aimed at meeting machinery challenges from seed to shelf. As the show continues to go from strength to strength, fresh challenges emerge, Steve said. “Where once our predecessors battled bad weather and endless mud, this year it will be the practicalities of Covid best practice, but we’ve no doubt the potato industry will rise to the challenge as it always does.” Haulm destruction was of much interest in 1992 and the subject was high on the agenda again at the most recent show with new and relaunched models following the loss of chemical options. Haith Supa-Flow in action at the 1988 show. Live harvesting and grading continued as a feature until the 2005 show. Tong Caretaker graders (pictured 1992) have been ever present for four decades with throughput and control constantly evolving. Machines were often still protypes when exhibited and running repairs were a common sight.