Mini tuber harvest

Mini tubers are virus free, and are the source of fresh seed crop that are introduced to the company's production cycle each year.

The seedlings are planted into pots using virgin compost and then laid out on the floor in one of the greenhouses. Each pot has its own irrigation tube.

The plants grow for between 14 and 16 weeks, and as soon as the are starting to die off as above, the water is turned off so that the tops dies and the potato tubers harden up and set the skins.

The tops are removed and all of the pots collected.

Each pot is tipped out by hand and each mini tuber harvested and stored into trays. Each pot produces about 8 - 10 potatoes.

These mini potatoes are stored in fridges over the winter, and are planted in the spring. These will produce more tubers, and the crop is bulked up over two years before the seed is used for export.

The fresh seed is virus-free and very vigorous.