Slúten foar ûndersyksfoarsjenning foar gewaaks opslach foar ynfloed op UK-kwekers

Calls are growing to save the Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research (SBCSR) center from the fallout surrounding AHDB Potatoes, after it emerged all its research activity will cease by May 2022. In a yes/no ballot in March, the potato industry voted to scrap the compulsory AHDB levy following widespread discontent about how the levy fund was being managed.

In recent years a multimillion-pound slice of that levy has been invested in AHDB’s Sutton Bridge center in south-east Lincolnshire. As part of recent announcements relating to the wind-down of AHDB Potatoes, all new research projects at the facility will stop with immediate effect, with just bare-bones knowledge exchange output continuing until May next year.

Ray Andrews fan Norfolk-basearre ierdappelopslachspesjalist Crop Systems is serieus soargen oer it rappe karakter fan har sluting, benammen yn sa'n testtiid foar de opslachsektor. Winkelmanagers hawwe gjin tagong mear ta it kosten-effektive spruitûnderdrukker chlorpropham (CIPC) nei syn resinte ferbod, en mar beheinde alternativen binne beskikber, lykas ethylene en mint oalje.

SBCSR hat ynstrumintal west by it testen fan nije opsjes lykas DMN (1,4-dimethylnapthalene), mar folsleine goedkarring fan 'e UK is fertrage, nettsjinsteande it aktive beskikber yn Ierlân en oare dielen fan' e EU.

Andrews is fan betinken dat as it sintrum sletten is, fierdere fertraging fan maksimaal twa jier mooglik binne, wêrtroch Britske kwekers in wichtich konkurrinsjeferskil bringe foar har Jeropeeske collega's. Hy makket him ek soargen oer it ferlies fan 'e wittenskiplike saakkundigens stasjoneare by de foarsjenning, dy't sûnt de jierren '1960 advys-, probleemoplossings- en testtsjinsten levere.

Andrews kommintaar: "De driuwende fraach foar heffingbetellers is ienfâldich: wolle jo Sutton Bridge hâlde, of sille jo it gewoan litte litten yn 'e ferjitlikens? Koe in troch de yndustry finansierd inisjatyf as abonnemintsmodel helpe om de rinnende kosten te ferheegjen? "

NFU horticulture and potatoes chairman Ali Capper said she was surprised by announcements on the winding down of SBCSR, before a final ministerial decision had been made on the future of the levy and AHDB Ierappels.