Volumes of UK potatoes are set to be below the four-year average again this year.

British Potato Council (BPC) chiefs have warned that although production will rise this season from 5.993 million tonnes in 2000 to 6.410mt, the total crop will remain below the 1997-2000 mean figure of 6.465m.

The figures are based on an analysis of 818 test samples from the 2001 check weighting survey.

The average harvested yield is 43.8t per planted hectare, almost exactly the same as the four-year average.

Meanwhile, extraordinarily late harvesting of 2000's product into May 2001 has led to data for 2000 being updated at the same time as this year's statistics are released.

Although predictions are up this season, UK growers have battled with common scab, blackleg and other problems during a difficult year.

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