Potato News from United Kingdom

East Anglian potato growers have a valuable chance to get a grip on rapidly escalating input costs, with an exciting presentation of the latest ideas and innovations in potato agronomy at the East Anglian Potato Event, taking place on 4 September at St...

Branston, the UK's leading supplier of potatoes, used its annual Summer Field Walk to alert growers to unsubstantiated claims surrounding the use of some biofumigation products. Speaking at the annual gathering of members of Branston's Lincolnshire Pro...

Comparison shopping by a United Kingdom newspaper showed that organic veggies cost 22 percent more in British supermarkets than those sold by box delivery schemes and local grocers. A large box of greens made up of fennel, chard leaves, runner beans, c...

CASH-strapped consumers face yet more soaring food prices because of plans by Brussels to ban commonly-used pesticides. Farmers' leaders in Scotland predict rises of up to 50% on some staple items such as cereals, potatoes and fruit at a time when foo...

The competition, organised by Branston, was part of the Celebration of Food and Farmers held recently at the Eden Project. Children were invited to suggest a name for a new potato variety based on a traditional Peruvian species. The new potato is the ...

Chicken tikka and Walkers’ crisps. Britain’s most popular ethnic food now has a chance of flavouring the country’s equally popular brand of potato chips. Walkers’ launched a “Do us a flavour, win a packet” campaign last month to invite ideas for new fl...

Tesco has cut the prices of organic produce since demand has been slowing as a result of the credit crunch. In the last twelve weeks demand for organic fruit fell by 18 %, for organic salad by 3 % and for vegetables by 1 %. Demand for organic produce a...

Potato growers could benefit from a new fixed-price contract, index linked to production costs, launched by processor McCain. "British growers are supplying 100% of our potatoes now, so we need to secure supplies,"said the firm's Mark Walmsl...

Greenvale AP has strengthened its board with a number of new appointments. Brian Macdonald has become financial director, having notched up 25 years at Scottish and Newcastle plc, initially covering its UK trading and production businesses, then overs...

The UK advertising watchdog (ASA) investigated the McCain Foods (GB) "Eat your greens"campaign for McCain Rustic Oven Fries and found the campaign was "not irresponsible or misleading". The campaign features the slogan "Eat yo...

Walkers Snack Foods was the fastest growing website in the UK over the last year, due in part to its Brit Trips discounted UK holiday promotions, according to Nielsen Online.The site's UK unique users grew from 17,000 in June 2007 to 444,000 in June th...

A happy-snacker was left star-struck when she discovered a Gary Lineker look-a-like in her crisp packet. Beth Benner was tucking into a packet of her favourite Ready Salted crisps when she pulled out what she thought was the spitting image of the footb...

Eco-friendly plans to generate power using waste from a crisp factory proved the real McCoy for Durham County councillors yesterday. Farmer Philip Johnson asked Durham County Council for permission to produce electricity – enough to heat 1,200 homes ...

A crisp factory employing 300 people in the Black Country could close after its owner lost one of its biggest contracts. Workers are facing redundancy at Red Mill Snack Foods Ltd in Globe Street, Wednesbury, which makes Transformers crisps and Mr Pork...

Tayto announced to cease production at its crisp manufacturing plant in the Corby, threatening 264 jobs.   The decision follows the cancellation of the only contract at the factory by Proctor and Gamble to manufacture Pringles Minis.Workers at the pl...

An industry with the size and diversity of the British potato sector should be prepared to back an awards scheme that recognises those who have made a significant contribution to its development, says Nick Vermont, McCain chief executive officer for Gr...

The whole potato industry must work together to eliminate CIPCresidue anomalies or the sprout suppressant will be lost, visitors to the recent Potato Council storage day at G H Chennells Farms in Lincolnshire were told. New limits on both total CIPC ap...

The appointment of a new chairman to the Potato Council is an important step forward for the industry in these times of change. Allan Stevenson, who takes office from 21 July 2008, also becomes a main Board Director of Agriculture and Horticulture Deve...