DEFRA and ministers in the devolved administrations have approved levy rates to be charged to growers and processors by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.
The horticulture rate is unchanged at 0.5 per cent of sales turnover, but the potato levy will increase by three per cent, from £39 to £40.17 a hectare.
This increase received wide support during the industry consultation on the draft AHDB corporate plan that ran from 20 November 2009 to 4 January this year.
The increase is to maintain Potato Council service delivery in line with potato growers' own demands and those of their customers. ADHB said in a statement: “Were it not for the cost and efficiency savings being generated by the new AHDB, a higher potato levy increase would have been necessary to maintain service.”
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