UK: Potato planting lags behind due to bad weather

The prolonged Winter conditions in Great Britain are taking their toll on the efforts to get potatoes in the ground according to information from the Potato Council. The total GB plantings up to 22 March are estimated at 3,000ha, compared with 15,000ha in 2012 and 16,000ha in 2011.

In the East of the country ground conditions were too wet and cold for most growers to make a start on planting but there had been some progress on light sandy soils in East Anglia mainly into freshly ploughed and cultivated land. But even there weather stopped further progress in the second half of the week. In Lincolnshire and Yorkshire rain, sleet and snow along with very low soil temperatures put paid to further planting this week, with many growers reporting it was now unlikely they would be starting before Easter.

In the West, cold wet conditions severely restricted planting in most districts particularly in the West Midlands where very limited progress was reported in Cheshire and Shropshire. There was a little more planting in Pembrokeshire and Anglesey before heavy rain curtailed activities.

In the South, there was very little planting progress and heavy rain at the end of the week put land work on hold. Although there was some considerable periods of sunshine over the last week, temperatures have generally been on the low side and with some overnight frosts, not conducive to good growth for those crops already planted.
In Scotland with heavy snow falls and overnight frosts, very limited planting took place in Ayrshire.