PSI Bulletin: March 2025

No. 03/25 SUBSCRIBER EDITION: please go to potatostorageinsight.com/subscribe to sign up as a Synopsis subscriber.

Dear Subscriber,

Welcome to the March edition of Synopsis.

Things are progressing fast at this time of year not least in the unloading of many potato stores, with a few problems coming to light as a result of poor harvesting conditions at the end of 2024.

A processing store being unloaded in Lincolnshire prior to shipping to McCain (photo: PSI)

See our section on Best Practice for more.

Out in the field, there are the first reports of growers planting across much of the country although continued cold weather at night has had many waiting in the starting blocks for a few more days...

PSI activity

Potato Store Managers' Course 2025

Our fourth annual Store Managers' Course of the post-AHDB era took place on 4th & 5th March at Greetham Valley in Rutland.

Let's start with the basics: "How do we get air from A to B efficiently and effectively?"

The course was very well supported with 25 delegates from as far afield as Cornwall, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands coming together to discuss all things storage.

The interactive nature of the course was popular and culminated in some excellent presentations to address the scenarios put to each of the five groups in the final session.

Understanding air distribution is key to getting the most from any potato store.

There are no plans to repeat the residential course in 2025; the next one will be in early 2026. However, it is increasingly likely that one day modular courses will take place before harvest for seed/fresh and processing. PSI is currently accepting expressions of interest for both courses: please email adrian@potatostorageinsight.com if you are interested and have yet to get in touch.

Potato Storage Day

Plans are coming together to bring you another practical, grower-focused Potato Storage Day on Wednesday 21st May. PLEASE SAVE THE DATE IN YOUR DIARIES!

We have in excess of 15 organisations committed to involvement, so there will be plenty to see and hear about, all focused around storage.

Our venue is at Fleet Lodge Farm at Holbeach in south Lincs. It will be a free-to-attend half day event from 9.30am to early afternoon, with a light lunch provided courtesy of our main sponsors Farm Electronics and UPL.

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The details of the event programme are still being finalised but, if you are interested in being a partner, having a stand or getting involved in the day's technical programme, please drop Adrian or Simon an email or give them a call: Adrian Cunnington 07970 072260 adrian@potatostorageinsight.com

Simon Faulkner 07850 649719 simon@sdf-agriculture.co.uk

Thank you to those who have already offered support; it is very much appreciated.

Please remember to register by emailing admin@potatostorageinsight.com  in advance so we know how many people to cater for.

Best practice

Disease issues in storage

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