Two thousand tons of Scottish seed potatoes are exported to Russia by PepsiCo Corporation with the official approval of the Scottish government, according to the portal Potatoes News.
As part of the deal with Saltire Seed, the potatoes are to be shipped in a convoy of 100 trucks over the next few days and eventually reach the Russian snack market. The deal is expected to be worth £600. The export comes at a time when many companies have ceased their trade in Russia, and PepsiCo itself has suspended the sale of Pepsi-Cola and other drinks. However, PepsiCo insisted that the potato deal go through, and the Scottish government is facilitating this by providing the necessary labels and certification.
Scotch potatoes were originally supposed to be delivered by sea, but shippers felt it would be difficult to find ships to visit Russian ports, so the plan was changed.
PepsiCo's actions drew criticism from the European public, but a company spokesman commented as follows: "As a food and beverage company, we must now more than ever remain true to the humanitarian aspect of our business, and therefore we continue to support the 40 Russian farmers involved in our supply chain as they face significant challenges.”
Tim Halliwell, CEO of Aberdeen-based Saltire Seed, also defended the deal, noting that the supply of seed potatoes cannot be cut off so easily: planning and understanding the specific requirements for each market.”