According to the Eastern Daily Press, residents of the UK are urged to buy local potatoes more actively in order to help farmers get rid of huge surplus products caused by the loss of demand for potatoes.
The coronavirus pandemic led to the closure of catering establishments, as a result of which thousands of tons of potatoes were unclaimed. Some of the products were redirected to retail chains, some were sold directly from farm stores, some went to animal feed. Given the situation, some manufacturers are forced to reduce planting volumes this season.
Tim Papworth is the director of LF Papworth (Felmingham), as well as a member of the NFU Gardening and Potato Council and a member of the NFU Potato Forum. He praised the efforts of processors to help manufacturers during the crisis and noted that now retail buyers can play their role.
“I’m a potato producer and I think I’m very lucky this year - for a number of reasons,” he says. - Firstly, I sold all my potatoes from the warehouse before quarantine measures were introduced. Then, in early March, I managed to raise part of last year’s crop remaining in the ground for the winter, we let the tubers dry and re-sort them, and in mid-March the product was sold. But a number of other producers had stocks of potatoes intended for supply under contracts in April, May or June, and suddenly the demand for products suddenly disappeared. It was hard for many, although I cannot but note that most of the processing companies behaved with dignity and did everything possible to mitigate the problem in these extreme conditions. ”
Tim Briscoe (Buxton Potato Company) is another Norfolk farmer. He found two ways to sell his potato stocks. Part of the production can be sold through its own store, which Tom Briscoe opened at the entrance to the farm. In addition, the farmer delivers bags of potatoes to his neighbors who are in isolation.