More than 150 of the UK’s leading potato producers and industry representatives will be gathering in Dundee next month with the aim of boosting growers’ confidence amidst the current sector challenges.

Organised by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the 25th annual conference of the SAC Association of Potato Producers (SACAPP) will take place on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

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The one-day event day will review the way in which UK producers could learn from both the Irish and Australian industry, highlight the ambitions of the National Potato Innovation Centre, and provide opportunities for discussion, workshops, and networking.

The 2024 event theme will be ‘building resilience into potato businesses, however, the conference will also be looking at some of the more intractable challenges facing the industry, such as potato cyst nematode (PCN).

Key speakers on the day which will be chaired by SAC Consulting’s own Senior Potato consultant, Dr Kyran Maloney, will include Dr James Price and Professor Ian Toth from the James Hutton Institute, Tom Murray from O’Shea Farms & Nuffield Scholar and Dr Nigel Crump, general manager of AuSPICA, Australia.

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Chief plant health officer for Scotland, Professor Gerry Saddler, who will deliver his vision for the Scottish potato industry as a closing presentation, encouraged as many people in the sector to attend as possible, particularly as the event is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Professor Saddler said: “Building on the professionalism and innovation of previous generations the potato industry in Scotland has established a Worldwide reputation for quality. Maintaining and growing this reputation is a continuing challenge, not least as pressures from pests and diseases wax and wane. A changing climate and disruption to long-established trading relationships add further uncertainty. It is only by learning the lessons from the past, working together, and nurturing innovation that will we be able to meet the challenges of the future.”

SAC Consulting’s Potato team will also be providing wider potato tips and SRUC’s Stuart Wale urged those in the sector to take the opportunity to get involved.

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Principal consultant at SAC Consulting, Stuart Wale, added that since he initiated the annual conference 25 years ago, it has grown to become the only event of its kind left in Scotland. It represents a great networking event for the industry.

The conference will take place on January 24, 2024, at The Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee. The event is free for SACAPP members to attend, but tickets are available to purchase for non-SACAPP growers and trade. For more information and to book your tickets, please email, sacapp@sac.co.uk.