PSI Bulletin: November 2025

No. 11/25 SUBSCRIBER EDITION

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Dear Reader,

Welcome to November's Synopsis - the monthly bulletin from Potato Storage Insight. There's an extensive summary of what we've been up to lately below with lots of new opportunities for you to get involved in matters storage. Plus there's topical best practice guidance and technical insight on roof space heating to follow with a few snippets and forthcoming events as usual...

PSI activity

We start this edition with a run down on our recent activities as October/November has been a busy period.

BP2025 exhibition, Harrogate, 19/20 November

Thank you to all those who visited our stand at the recent BP2025 exhibition. We had a great couple of days, with an especially busy Wednesday.

The PSI stand focused on air distribution. Footfall for the Show was particularly busy on day one.

Potato Storage Handbook launched

A key part of our presence at Harrogate centred around the launch of the new Potato Storage Handbook (pictured, left) on the first day of the Show.

PSI has joined forces with Warners Publications, the publishers of Potato Review magazine, to bring you this new reference and advisory standard. The content is compiled by Adrian Cunnington, who previously penned three editions of the levy-funded potato store managers' guide, and Stephanie Cornwall, editor of Potato Review.

The new format, fully updated handbook follows a similar style to previous guides but brings in some relevant commercial advertising to the mix. This reflects the need to secure external funding for the guide, so that it can continue to be made available free of charge to potato producers and store managers.

The content was launched in hardcopy but will also be made available online too. See https://britishpotato.co.uk/industry-updates/the-potato-storage-handbook-2025-2026-edition/

PSI would like to thank all those who helped in the production of the Handbook in any way, from the team at Warners to the growers who gave up their time to let us take photos of their stores. You know who you are and we are very grateful for your assistance.

Potato Store Management Training Course details released

PSI will be involved in two potato store management training opportunites early in 2026.

On 11/12 March, we will be running our own annual two-day, certificated, residential training course at Greetham Valley Hotel near Oakham, Rutland. Trainers will be Adrian Cunnington and Glyn Harper. For details, please email adrian@potatostorageinsight.com for a prospectus. There's a £50 early bird saving available for bookings made before 6 January. The course also offers delegates a chance to take the BASIS Stored Potatoes qualification subject to further tuition and an exam in spring 2026.

Also, early in the New Year, on 14/15 January, Adrian will be speaking at the SRUC Storage Course being held in Perth. Details can be obtained from

British Potato Industry Awards

PSI was pleased to be invited to be part of the 2025 British Potato Industry Awards as a collaborating partner, with Adrian joining the panel of judges for the first time and making an appearance on stage (below, left) to hand over the award for the Best Environmental/ Sustainability Initiative to the representative from winners Puffin Produce Ltd.

SDF/PSI Strategic Potato Day 2026 stands now available

This technical event focusing on storage is now taking expressions of interest for stand space at the event in May 2026.

If you run a storage-focused business and would like to have a presence, please contact either Adrian Cunnington on 07970 072260 or Simon Faulkner on 07850 649719.

New call from CIPC Residues Monitoring Group

CIPC Residues Monitoring Group submits second-year draft report and calls for industry support to secure future potato storage capacity 

The CIPC Residues Monitoring Group (CRMG), a cross-industry body, has submitted its second-year draft report with the Health and Safety Executive's Chemical Regulation Division (CRD). The report provides new evidence on chlorpropham (CIPC) residues in potatoes stored during the 2024/25 season and will inform CRD’s annual review of the temporary Maximum Residue Level (tMRL), currently set at 0.35 mg/kg. 

The report details residue data submitted by growers, store managers and supply chain partners. In total, 156 sample results were received from potato stores with a known history of CIPC use. Of these, 21 samples (13.5%) contained detectable CIPC residues, all of which were well within the tMRL.  

While residue levels continue to decline, the provisional data mirrors Year 1 patterns, reinforcing the need for a temporary MRL. Without it, many stores would exceed the standard detection threshold and be taken out of use, placing significant pressure on the UK’s storage infrastructure and supply chain resilience. 

Adrian Cunnington, Chair of the CIPC Residues Monitoring Group, said: 

“It is hard to overstate the challenge if we lost our storage capacity; it would be devastating for the industry. We are watching residues come down year-on-year, but the biggest challenge remains getting enough samples. It is imperative that we continue to collect and submit residue data if we are to maintain our supply base for years to come.” 

CRMG is now calling on the industry to support a third season of sampling, which will underpin the 2025/26 submission to CRD. Growers and store managers already collecting multi-residue data are urged to submit chlorpropham results from crops stored for at least 60 days. All analysis must be conducted by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. 

This evidence is vital to demonstrate the continued need for a temporary MRL. Without sufficient data, stores with a CIPC history remain at risk of being taken out of use. 

Adrian added:

“We are asking growers to help build an accurate national picture of residue levels across stores with a CIPC history. By contributing their data, growers will help ensure that the industry can continue to use vital storage capacity safely and responsibly.” 

Growers and store managers willing to submit anonymised CIPC residue data can contact the Group by emailing adrian@potatostorageinsight.com 

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