potatoes build local PR and social media profiles Understanding the market – delving into consumption habits and the offers which most excite customers Kate Cox, marketing manager for AHDB Potatoes, said: “We recognise that the fish and chip shop industry is unique, and as such it requires market-specific information. We have collated all of the material from our exisiting ‘chip skills’ portal from http://potatoes.ahdb. org.uk/ and added information about market influences and consumption patterns, to create a dedicated, one-stop-shop for the sector. “As we know, competition in the QSR sector is intense and this means we must do all we can to help chip shop businesses stand out for the right reasons. Top quality chips and simple promotional tools and techniques can make a real diffrence and
have significant impact, in terms of sales, awareness and customer retention – both in the short and longer term. “We developed www. bestchips.co.uk to be the go-to hub for best practise information for chip shop businesses; we believe it will add real value to the sector and help improve chip quality and boost sales back down the chain as a result.”
Boost potato yields by addressing nutrient deficiencies Many potato crops are likely to be suffering from nutrient deficiencies, meaning growers have the potential to significantly boost both yields and quality. According to soil scientist Simon Fox from Emerald Crop Science, up to 50% of soils in Scotland are deficient in important trace elements, impacting on yield,
crop health and tuber quality. Speaking at the SAC Association of Potato Producers’ annual conference in Perth on Wednesday (20 January), Mr Fox said growers could boost yields by an average of 15% by adopting a more comprehensive approach to crop nutrition. “If you can grow potatoes
www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com
in the desert you can grow them anywhere; it’s all about meeting the crop’s needs. In the UK we tend to only focus on the three main nutrients, and completely forget about all the others that are just as important for optimum growth,” he said. Between 35% and 50% of Scottish soils were potentially
11