The Potato Council is proposing a levy increase of almost 2 per cent for 2015/16.
The mooted hike would take the levy to £43.46/hectare (£17.59/acre) for growers, but it first requires AHDB and ministerial approval after a period of consultation.
The Potato Council believes the move is crucial to advancing its latest plan.
The organisation’s chairman, Fiona Fell, said: “The potato arena is a challenging place to be in at the moment. Changing consumer purchasing patterns coupled with an ongoing oversupply at home and in Europe has resulted in tremendous volatility and severe downward price pressure.
'The Potato Council team is listening to levy-payers, analysing market dynamics and looking for ways to support potato producers in this tough and evolving market place.
'An all-year-round, competitive supply of top quality British potatoes needs to be underpinned by innovative and cost effective storage. This new plan will take Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research Centre forward, and funds will be committed to unlock external funding opportunities to refurbish and develop the storage research and knowledge transfer capability.
Growing the value of the levy by exploring and winning match-funding opportunities created under the Agri-Tech Strategy and RDPE will be fundamental, she added.
The Potato Council has already submitted a comprehensive application to the EU for funding to promote fresh potatoes, hoping to double its budget for 'carefully-targeted' work. And, its new partnership with BordBia in Ireland - if successful - will yield funding from the EU worth £1.5 million over three years.
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