Higgins goes 'Down Under'

Finningley, Yorkshire: a recent visit to Australia by David Higgins, Managing Director of the Higgins Group, one of Europe�s foremost potato supply companies, was at the same time, an exercise in gathering and imparting information. While there, he gained insight into Australia�s potato industry and addressed two conferences, one in Victoria, and a second in Western Australia.



Speakers at the National Potato [Potato 2005] Conference held in Victoria, which took as its theme �Today and Beyond�, included international experts, scientists and local growers, who addressed subjects as diverse as �Selling spuds the New Zealand way�, �The benefits of virus testing in seed schemes� and �Turning ideas into profits on the farm�. David Higgins gave an in-depth account of potato industry trends in the UK.



�This is the largest conference of its kind in the Australian potato calendar,� commented David Higgins. �I explained the UK market for potatoes in the context of Europe, making clear that the free movement of potatoes and products throughout the EU means the UK potato industry cannot be examined in isolation.�



He went on to say: �Activities within the Higgins Group encompass all stages of the potato life-cycle, from the development of new varieties, mini-tuber and seed production, through growing, contract supply, storage, distribution and investment in customer factories. I therefore believe we are in a good position to be able to analyse and give an overview of each market segment, and predict what the future might hold for our industry.�



The conference in Western Australia, though smaller, was of equal interest to delegates, who listened to David Higgins talk about the Scottish seed potato industry. The majority of the UK�s seed growth and development takes place in Scotland, the most disease-free area of the UK. The Higgins Group has established its own Seed division in Morayshire, which is a major contributor to the company�s success. It develops new disease-free seed for varying climatic and soil conditions both in the UK and abroad, supplying seed potatoes to areas as diverse as Suffolk and Saudi Arabia.



David Higgins concludes:



�My visit to Australia has been very successful. Not only did I gain a great insight into their potato industry, but I hope to have left all players �down under� a little more informed about Higgins, and how the potato supply chain works in both the UK, Europe and beyond.�