Potato Review

NEWS Report highlights breakthrough in international grower aid THERE were numerous breakthroughs by the International Potato Centre (CIP) last year in its quest to help poor potato farming families all over the world build resilience, according to Director General Barbara Wells. The organisation gives a snapshot of some of these breakthroughs in its newly-published 2020 annual report, which is available to view online at www.cipotato.org/annualreport2020/ UK supply chain disruption THE RoadHaulage Association (RHA) has said there is now a shortage of at least 100,000 drivers, which couldworsen in the run-up to Christmas, with potential supermarket supply shortages in the festive season. Many truck drivers have been forced to isolate because of COVID-19 alerts, which has increased the existing shortfall, whileHGV tests have also been delayed because of the pandemic, creating a huge backlog. Whilst the UK government has brought in army reinforcements to help manage the situation, and some companies are o ering cash incentives to retrain sta members as drivers, RHA’s RodMcKenzie has said he is still concerned that the crisis poses a “very serious threat” to supplies. Over the past fewweeks, images of bare supermarket shelves have been circulating, leading to unease amongst UK consumers. Hauliers have been boycotting supermarket giant Lidl saying it refused to be flexible in relation to current driver shortages whichwere impacting on growers with an end result being a shortage of potatoes and other veg. Supermarkets have been passing additional collection costs onto their suppliers, with Sainsbury’s and Tesco amongst retailers who informed suppliers of forthcoming price hikes of up to 14%because of the driver shortages. MP joins tour of grower’s farm at open day POTATO growers were amongst the 100-plus farms who opened their gates for LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2021, farming’s annual open day. Defra Farming Minister Victoria Prentis MP joined LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond, on a tour of Rectory Farm in Oxfordshire which produces LEAF Marque certified potatoes. Frustration over lack of ‘ping’ clarity FRUSTRATION has been rife in the potato industry because of lack of clarity regarding which key sta can be exempted from the need to isolate when notified by the NHS Track and trace app. Growing was struggling to stay on track because of the impact of COVID-19 self-isolation rules, determined in large part by the NHS Test and Trace app. The government left farming out of the block-exemption for food producers and distributors, leaving growers struggling to understand what the proposed test-and-release regime meant for them. NFU Vice-President TomBradshaw said those trying to maintain continuity of supply had to look at all parts of that supply chain and when crops are ready to harvest, this couldn’t be delayed. “Unfortunately we have got businesses now that are under real pressure because people are having to self-isolate,” he said, pointing out that the industry was already under strain from sta taking holidays they couldn’t take during lockdown. www.grimme.co.uk i