ENSURING a strong, united producer voice is essential to maintaining the future viability of Scotland’s world-renowned seed potato industry.

And with only 186 registered seed growers in the country, without co-ordinated and collaborative action, the sector faces an uncertain future.

Outlining the conclusion’s of the recently published sector strategy document “Sowing the seed for sustainable growth” at last week’s Potatoes in Practice event, the SAOS’s supply chain specialist, Patrick Hughes highlighted the need for the industry to maintain a united voice to uphold the key role which it plays in both the agricultural and wider rural economy.

“The Scottish seed potato sector has many strengths – but to protect and enhance its global reputation requires a united and dynamic organisation that can work in partnership with Government organisations to develop an efficient sector producing high quality seed potatoes for both the UK and export markets,” he stated.

Following the potato sector’s decision to dispense with the levy-backed services of the AHDB, he said the future funding of the research, monitoring and market expansion which were crucial for its continued survival remained unclear.

And speaking at one of the seminars at the event which took place at the James Hutton Institute’s Balruddery farm near Dundee, Mr Hughes, warned that in a highly competitive market, without innovation and focus on continued development, the sector risked falling into a terminal decline:

“Any long-term reduction in the area of seed potatoes grown in Scotland which currently stands at about 10,500 hectares could lead to a loss of critical mass – and this could create a situation where funding for research and development and the support network which currently exists in Scotland could begin to crumble.”

But he said that the Scottish Government should continue to provide essential funding for research until an independent, self-funding producer organisation expanded its membership and became fully established.

Maintaining and increasing market penetration in both home and export markets would also be required to secure the industry’s future and Mr Hughes said that it was crucial to ensure that the industry was well represented at market and key international trade events to promote its seed.

A seed potato farm knowledge exchange network would also play an important role in securing both economic and environmental sustainability by promoting best practice and encouraging an industry strategy for reaching net zero.