Potato Review

12 POTATO REVIEW MARCH/APRIL 2023 GROWER INSIGHT From pigs to potatoes Brothers change direction and share how they converted a building into a new potato store. A FTER a decade of rearing pigs, brothers James and Alastair Heath last year decided to change direction and move from pigs into potatoes, and have successfully converted their 1,600m pig shed into a potato store. e brothers, of James Heath and Sons Ltd, near Telford in Shropshire, had previously grown smaller quantities of potatoes, but decided to increase their tonnage and move away from pigs completely at the start of 2021 when the contracts were being arranged for the pigs. James said: “With the increase in cost of production, the main being feed prices, we started to look at the broader farming operation. We knew a few of our neighbours around our area were large potato growers and we had been growing small tonnages in previous years so we had a lot of equipment already on the farm. But if we were going to increase our tonnages, we would need to invest in long-term storage of the crop as we saw it being the best way to increase its value.” “With the increase in cost of production, the main being feed prices, we started to look at the broader farming operation.” James Heath On top of the duct overlooking the crop. From left: James Heath, Alastair Heath and Adam Fryer, Commercial Director of Farm Electronics.