Potato farming a ‘bright light’ in UK ag, says Produce Investments

The potato sector will prove a “bright light” of a UK agriculture sector facing weak prices of the likes of grains and dairy, leading packer Produce Investments said, as it unveiled a rise in its own underlying profits. While the main UK potato harvest is still in its early stages – with 38,000 hectares cleared as of last weekend, according to the AHDB bureau – “growing conditions experienced so far… would point to an average quality crop and yield”, said Angus Armstrong, the Produce Investments chief executive. He noted “a wet and late spring followed by reasonable summer temperatures”. While planted area has risen by an estimated 4.3% from 2015-16, when UK potato output eased by 5.4% to 5.43m tonnes, “we are looking at a balanced market”, Mr Armstrong told Agrimoney.com. More