The SPot storage project is a joint initiative set up by GB Potatoes, Potato Storage Insight and SDF Agriculture.
The project is centred around Strategic Potato stores which are going to be used to help raise awareness of best practice and new developments to the industry.
In the first months of the project, two sites have been chosen in south Lincolnshire to host small-scale trials activities and to demonstrate new, practical commercial store management processes. An open day is planned for May 2024 and it is hoped to be able to add further stores in other locations in year 2.
On Tuesday 5th December, GB Potatoes are hosting an open workshop-style meeting, which is free to attend, in Wisbech when there will be presentations from Mark Taylor of GB Potatoes, Adrian Cunnington from PSI, Simon Faulkner of SDF Agriculture and Roger Stones of NFU Energy. All four speakers will be putting a practical slant on their talks to help provide guidance on key issues such as storage costs and effectiveness, disease control and variety choice.
The meeting is at Wisbech Rugby Club, Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambs. PE13 1RG. It starts at 9.00am when bacon rolls will be available and proceedings will kick off around 9.30am. Please pre-register this week at www.gb-potatoes.co.uk/events to help with catering.
We would like to see a good grower attendance to give the project partners confidence in this new activity and to support their generous financial and in-kind inputs to the project, which have all attracted match-funding from GB Potatoes.
In addition to the three organising companies and our two hosts, Winters Lane Storage and S&S Pugh, we currently have further offers of support from:
Biofresh/Safestore NFU Energy
Cornerstone Systems Potato Storage Treatments
Crop Systems Ltd Hutchinsons
Other companies are engaged in discussions with us at present: if you are a supplier and wish to learn more, please call Adrian Cunnington on 07970 072260.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.