Scott Country Potato Growers
Huntershall, Kelso, Roxburghshire TD5 8BH
Chairman: Gareth Baird
Tel: 01573 225125 Fax: 01573 228638
E-mail: martin@scottcountryseedpotatoes.co.uk
“A group of dedicated growers working together in a disciplined fashion with state of the art facilities to produce high quality seed potatoes”.
That was the original mission of Scott Country Potato Growers Ltd at its formation in 1982 following a feasibility study conducted by SAOS on behalf of a number of Borders farmers. Almost twenty years on, with a doubling of acreage and further investment in storage and grading equipment of more than £1 million at its Huntershall premises on the outskirts of Kelso, the statement is even more relevant today.
The group is acclaimed by ware growers throughout the UK as a reliable source of vigorous, healthy seed. With its production previously marketed by agents, Scott Country has established a strong enough brand profile to control its own marketing function and now deals directly with its customers.
It is the latest stage in the on-going development of a farmer-controlled company where the utilisation of technically advanced systems and strict attention to detail is earning increasing volumes of repeat business.
Nine growers in Roxburghshire and Berwickshire are involved, producing seed from more than 500 acres. The objective is the multiplication of selected high grade VT2 stocks from growers in the North of Scotland for selling on to ware growers as SE2 seed. In the 2001 season ten varieties are being grown including the controlled varieties of Estima, Premiere, Saxon and Sante.
An integral feature of Scott Country’s quality control involves the inspection of potential high grade stocks in the field prior to burn down and in store before grading. Samples are sent for laboratory analysis to ensure that incoming stocks meet the group’s health and vigour standards.
All fields destined for multiplication to the next generation are carefully evaluated in advance and, on the basis of soil type and analysis, allocated specific varieties. Crops are monitored throughout the season and rogued prior to inspection and pre-burn down. Potatoes are then delivered to Scott Country’s sophisticated storage and grading premises at Huntershall.
The extension of Huntershall, with storage for 8500 tonnes, is a recent grant-aided investment for the group embracing the latest technology in refrigeration, ventilation and electronic control. The installation of “positive” ventilation dries the crop uniformly immediately after harvest allowing it to cure prior to store temperature pulldown. The control units in each storage area co-ordinate the operation of the refrigeration units and produce a full record of conditions during storage.
Prior to despatch, graded stocks are both weighed and tuber counted, the aim being to market seed by tuber numbers, in effect, replantable area.
With Scott Country Potatoes pursuing a policy of transparency and traceability, all of the information recorded at Huntershall is available to customers with each seed consignment accompanied by a detailed crop history.
Chairman Gareth Baird: “We aim to expand on our substantial levels of repeat business. This can only be achieved through customer trust and satisfaction on our seed’s performance. That process begins on our members’ farms where, crucially, we have 100% commitment to the aims and aspirations of the group.”