The National Farmers Union says it has made the 'difficult decision' of backing a proposal for a £40 a hectare British Potato Council levy. This represents a £3.50 a hectare increase on the current rate for the annual levy, the first time it has risen since 1999.

NFU Potatoes committee chairman Graham Nichols said: 'The decision to support the levy increase was a difficult and carefully considered one. After much debate, we came to the conclusion that the BPC would be unable to maintain the necessary level of service to growers without an increase.' But, he said, the support was given on the proviso that the BPC must brand itself better, and continue to seek more efficient methods of collecting the levy.

The BPC levy is spent on marketing and promotion, research and development, market information, statistics and addressing seed and export issues.

The NFU said it had resisted a rise last year due to dire weather that had had dire financial consequences for growers.

Meanwhile, delegates at this weekend's Fresh Produce Consortium wholesale division weekend agreed that the levy should be subject to a reviewed threshold of 3000 tonnes, with a simplified system of data collection below 6,000t.

The proposals for the levy rise will now go before the department of the environment and rural affairs for formal consultation.

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