Risk management in potato farming is gaining renewed attention as industry stakeholders respond to increasingly unpredictable weather conditions and evolving financial pressures, according to discussions held in a recent GB Potatoes webinar titled “Cutting the odds: Managing risk in potato production.”
The session featured insights from GB Potatoes chair Alex Godfrey, Blair Richardson of Potatoes USA, and Rory Gibson of insurance specialist Howden, who introduced new insurance solutions designed for growers.
Weather risk driving new insurance approaches
Speakers highlighted that potato crops remain highly sensitive to weather variability, with increasingly extreme and unpredictable conditions prompting insurers to reassess traditional coverage models. Combined with reduced agricultural subsidies and uncertain crop returns, growers are facing greater pressure to adopt more structured risk protection strategies.
Rory Gibson presented a new parametric insurance product for GB Potatoes members, designed to provide faster and more measurable payouts compared to traditional crop insurance.
Unlike conventional policies that rely on physical loss assessments, parametric insurance triggers payouts based on predefined measurable weather events, such as rainfall thresholds. Once conditions are met, payments can be issued within 24 hours and no later than two months, without requiring an assessor visit.
Insurance structure for growers
The proposed coverage focuses primarily on excess rainfall risk during the harvest period rather than drought. Key features include:
- Coverage window: 15 August to 15 November
- Rainfall trigger categories: short intense rainfall (3-day events), prolonged rainfall (10-day events), and cumulative seasonal rainfall
- Data sources: satellite monitoring and local weather centre data
- Typical coverage target: around GBP 5,000 per hectare of income
- Estimated cost: about GBP 259 per hectare (just over GBP 5 per tonne)
- Example payout structure: approximately GBP 2,273 per hectare for GBP 1,554 of cover over five years
Addressing misinformation about potatoes
The webinar also addressed reputational challenges facing the potato sector.
Blair Richardson of Potatoes USA discussed long-term efforts to improve public understanding of potato nutrition and counter misinformation.
He noted that early misconceptions, including stereotypes about potatoes, prompted the organization to invest in nutrition research. Over the past 15 years, approximately USD 2–2.5 million annually has been allocated to health and nutrition studies, totaling around USD 30 million.
Richardson said this research has strengthened the industry’s ability to respond to inaccurate claims, particularly as misinformation spreads rapidly on social media platforms. He added that engagement with media and science-based messaging has helped improve public perception and reduce misinformation incidents.
Industry coordination and long-term planning
GB Potatoes chair Alex Godfrey outlined the organisation’s broader strategy to help manage industry risk through collaboration, policy engagement, and technical development.
Key focus areas include supply chain collaboration, horizon scanning for emerging risks, lobbying, industry promotion, and access to technical research.
The organisation also works with sector bodies such as the National Potato Innovation Centre and participates in industry consultations and innovation forums.
Ongoing projects supported by residual funding from the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) include initiatives targeting disease management, pest monitoring, and reputational risk. However, industry leaders cautioned that these programmes will likely need to become self-financing within the next three to five years.
A notable development highlighted during the webinar was the CiC-START PhD programme, delivered in collaboration with the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, which has secured funding for 24 PhD positions over three years. The initiative is intended to strengthen long-term research capacity and support emerging professionals in the sector.
Additional training initiatives, including the Potato Industry Development Programme, are also supporting new entrants to the industry through site visits and engagement with supply chain companies such as McCain and Branston.
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