POTATO storage capacity in Britain could be at risk without the input of store operators and owners, it has been claimed.
An urgent call has gone out for CIPC residue samples to be submitted to ensure a piece of legislation that secures stores’ futures remains in place.
The CIPC Residues Monitoring Group, which has made the call to store operators, says It is crucial that those operating in the British potato industry continue to supply monitoring data to retain the temporary Maximum Residue Level (tMRL) which is annually reviewed.
The Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) set the tMRL) for chlorpropham (CIPC) at 0.35 mg/kg, effective from April 10th 2024 and its continuation depends entirely on whether the British potato industry can provide evidence that it’s still needed, the group has stressed.
“CIPC was a staple in sprout suppression for decades. But the legacy residues it leaves behind are now putting our storage capacity at risk. If we can’t demonstrate that a tMRL above the limit of detection (0.01 ppm) is still necessary, stores with historic CIPC use may no longer be usable. The consequences for growers, packers, and the wider supply chain would be significant,” the group stated in a recent public announcement.
Data collected last year shows that without the tMRL, 22.5% of storage facilities would have exceeded the detection limit. These stores would not have been permitted for use had the limit been set to the detection threshold.
“This is why it’s so important to keep the data flowing,” the group states.
Most growers already have access to the necessary data. It often comes through customer testing of potato samples or Red Tractor certification sampling.
The CRMG coordinates the anonymised data submission to CRD on behalf of the entire industry submissions can be made by sending residue data to the group’s Independent Chair, Adrian Cunnington. Adrian will anonymise the data before submitting it to CRD.
For the 2025 CRD submission, CRMG needs at least 125 new samples. Those who have potato stores previously treated with CIPC and are holding crops for at least two months this season, should provide at least one of their regular multi-residue test results.
You can find the simple data form here. You can find the simple data form here.
“It is crucial that industry continues to supply monitoring data to retain the temporary MRL. HSE will oversee this to ensure the tMRL continues to be set at an appropriate level. Its retention relies on the industry providing the evidence that it’s still needed,” Adrian said.
