Potato Challenges

Why are potatoes important?

3rd most directly-consumed food crop after wheat and rice.

a pile of potatoes showing different colours and varieties in yellow, purple and red.

Grown around the world.
Potatoes were first domesticated in the Andes, then entered Europe in the late 1500s.

three light skinned potato tubers in a pile with one cut through showing pale yellow flesh.

Each tuber is a balanced source of protein and carbohydrate.

It’s expensive to grow potatoes

To grow one hectare of potatoes in the UK, it costs:

~£10k

in total

£500

OF THAT IS FOR LATE BLIGHT SPRAYS

~£2k

IS FOR SEED POTATOES

Seed potatoes for England are routinely trucked from Scotland, where colder climate limits the prevalence of virus-transmitting insects. Seed potato production also relies heavily on insecticides to restrict virus transmission.

*Photo shows potatoes growing in East Anglia, UK*

UK-GROWN POTATOES

~40% of UK-consumed potatoes are imported.

Locally grown disease-resistant varieties would reinforce the UK’s food security.

Learn about our solutions