UK Reopens Potato Trade with Canary Islands Amid Mounting Sector Challenges

UK potato exports to the Canary Islands are set to resume following the successful eradication of Colorado potato beetle at a time when the industry faces growing pressure due to rising costs and weakening grower confidence.

The resumption of exports is expected to provide a significant boost for UK potato growers and traders, restoring access to an important market that relies heavily on imported potatoes. 

The National Farmers Union (NFU) said it welcomed the lifting of many of the restrictions in place since 2023 following an extensive surveillance and eradication programme that eradicated the pest late last year. 

Defra confirmed that the additional phytosanitary measures introduced in 2023 are no longer necessary, having worked with Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Canary Islands Inspectorate to re-establish trading arrangements.

The lifting of the restrictions removes requirements relating to enhanced packaging, labelling, plot-level traceability, and origin-specific controls that were imposed after Colorado beetle detections in Kent during 2023 disrupted trade flows. 

However, exporters must continue to meet existing cleaning rules, including a maximum soil content threshold of 1%, to prevent the movement of soil-borne pests and diseases.

The reopening of the market is seen as a positive step in improving agricultural trade relationships and reducing barriers for the UK horticulture and potato sectors. 

Grower Resilience Put To The Test

The UK potato industry is experiencing mounting challenges as rising production costs, weaker contract prices, and ongoing market uncertainty continue to squeeze grower margins, according to GB Potatoes. 

The sector has endured a series of shocks in recent years, including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, labour shortages, energy inflation, geopolitical instability, and increasingly volatile weather conditions, the association said. 

Image: GB Potatoes | Scott Walker

“None of these challenges are entirely new, but each successive crisis has chipped away at business resilience across the sector,” pointed out Scott Walker, CEO of GB Potatoes. 

“Each period of instability has forced difficult commercial decisions and, over time, has led some businesses to scale back or leave the sector entirely.”

Now global and domestic pressures are acute and converging. Higher fertiliser, energy, machinery and labour costs, combined with the loss of the Basic Payment Scheme in England, have reduced growers’ ability to absorb financial shocks. 

At the same time, lower potato contract prices and depressed cereal markets are limiting profitability and alternative income opportunities.

“For many, the cumulative effect has left growers exposed, vulnerable and questioning the viability of this season,” Walker stated. 

These concerns are beginning to influence future production decisions, Walker noted, with many growers reassessing their exposure to the crop beyond the current season.

“Without confidence and sustainable returns, there is a risk of gradual but permanent contraction in a sector that underpins more than £4.5 billion of economic activity and plays an important role in UK national food security,” he warned. 

Cautious Optimism Ahead

Despite the challenges, industry leaders remain cautiously optimistic about the long-term future of the sector. 

GB Potatoes argues that targeted investment and supportive policy measures will be critical to maintaining the competitiveness and sustainability of UK potato production. 

In particular, there are opportunities for innovation, research, and collaboration in addressing key issues such as pest and disease management, soil health, water availability, and productivity improvements.

“The UK potato industry has the potential to grow in value, underpinned by smarter technologies, science-led production practices, and evolving consumer demand,” explained Walker.  

“Realising the potential will require greater alignment between government policy, research investment, and supply chain innovation,” he concluded. 

This summer, GB Potatoes, in partnership with the National Potato Innovation Centre, is hosting the GB Potato Summit to bring together growers, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore ways to strengthen sector resilience and profitability.