PSI Bulletin: June 2026
- Jun 23
- 7 min read
No. 6/26 SUBSCRIBER EDITION: please go to potatostorageinsight.com/subscribe to sign up
Welcome to the June 2026 edition of Synopsis, PSI's monthly update with news, technical content and details of the latest developments in potato storage.
Following a fairly protracted and cool planting period, crops are now developing fast, with full canopies now the 'norm' and some earlier planted fields now fully in flower. The potato plant is remarkably adaptable and can rapidly compensate for weather setbacks in many situations - providing solar radiation and water are readily available. Hot weather seems to be another factor we have to deal with which will put non-irrigated crops, like the one pictured below, under pressure if rain isn't forthcoming.
Meanwhile, with contract deliveries still 'two to three weeks' behind, any free-buy crops remaining in storage have continued to struggle to find markets. In processing, quality problems, such as blackening and poor fry colour, linked to senescence, continue to be reported. Best fry colour from store is still 'in demand', according to Potato Call, but buyers are now switching to new crop as this becomes available in volume.
PSI ACTIVITY
PSI is available to provide guidance and advice on all aspects of potato storage; if you think we can help you, call Adrian Cunnington on 07970 072260 or email adrian@potatostorageinsight.com.
Specifically, as a 'heads-up', Adrian is planning to be in Scotland in the week of 10-13 August, leading up to Potatoes in Practice, so please get in touch if you think he can be of assistance to you or your grower group.
BEST PRACTICE
As stores become empty, the topics of probe management, cleaning and disinfection become important issues to tackle as stores are prepared for next season.
If you have a store with a CIPC legacy, ensure you follow the cleaning guidelines published by CRMG. Go to Resources - GB Potatoes.
Now is also a good time of year to evaluate store operation, especially if you have data available from a full season such as electricity consumption and temperature records.
Don't forget to work out, wherever possible, consumption in kWh/tonne/day and compare it with these figures below:
It is also an opportune time to measure insulation performance (as there is often the maximum temperature gradient across the structure). This is a service that PSI can offer using Thermal Imaging Technology, as shown below, to supplement your data recording:
Want to read more?
Subscribe to potatostorageinsight.com to keep reading this exclusive post.
