Scotland: Exports flourish for Caithness Potatoes

Caithness Potatoes is a leading seed potato producer and exporter, based in Scotland. As part of AHDB Potatoes’ current Next Generation programme (2015/16), participants visited the Old Fargie Farm in Perth, which is one of three farms providing seed to Caithness Potatoes. There, they heard about the company’s approach to producing and marketing Scottish seed potatoes. The business benefits from the disease-free climate and produces about 20,000-30,000 tonnes of seed potatoes per year, but in common with many potato growers, the company’s biggest challenge has been market volatility. After market volatility, the diverse range of overseas markets Caithness Potatoes supplies also poses a further challenge, but have, in turn, allowed the business to expand to become one of the biggest seed potato producers in the UK. More