| Specialist Potatoes
Ltd is as its name suggests a company concentrating on producing
seed and ware potatoes for special or niche markets.Most
of our production is grown on contract for major processors
such as McCain, pre-packers such as Solanum
who pack for Waitrose, wholesalers and merchants
and directly for seed and ware growers.
We currently grow about 15 to 20 different varieties
ranging in area from 0.5 hectares upwards. Very
small areas are not cost effective so seed produced from
a 0.5 acre plot is going to be expensive – we prefer
areas of at least 1hectare.
Most of our input seed is produced either by ourselves
or by selected growers of high grade seed. We start with
mini-tubers and multiply up through to Pre-basic 3 or 4
to achieve commercial quantities of seed at Super Elite
1 or 2.
Some of our contracts are negotiated on an annual basis.
We also contract on a longer time scale where we agree a
programme with a customer to ensure that there is continuity
of supply by producing seed each year that will eventually
provide the correct quantity of either seed or ware perhaps
4 or 5 years hence.
We are always interested in developing new contracts and
recruiting new customers and growers. If you want seed or
ware from one of our current varieties or if you want another
one grown specifically for you please get in touch.
Although most of our production is contracted and sold
before planting we always hope to have some surplus available
for sale throughout the season. We also merchant seed and
ware for other selected growers.
We always have a reasonable quantity of “Tops”
– tubers over 50mm or 55mm! The bulk is mainly “Whites”
such as Pentland Dell and Maris Piper but there are smaller
quantities of the Heritage and conservation varieties. These
are available from October onwards.
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