Potatoesâ¦ - Bayer CropScience

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The UK Potato Project – Participation that paid off The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, they say. It certainly applies to Food Chain Partnership. Because, if all members of the chain – from field to fork – become partners who understand each others needs and requirements, everyone gains. Bayer CropScience therefore encourages and facilitates Food Chain Partnerships all over the world, contributing the company’s own expertise and extensive knowledge. One such partnership was the UK Potato Project introduced here. As customers increasingly become aware of what they eat, their expectations are on the rise. After a number of food scares, such as the BSE crisis, legislation within the EU has put more emphasis on consumer and retailer expectations in terms of high-quality and safe produce. In this context, the market in the United Kingdom is particularly advanced with a strong involvement of retailers and processors in food production. Against this background Bayer CropScience was to launch Infinito ® , a new product against potato late blight. While the general aim for all members of the potato food chain should be highquality, healthy-looking potatoes, individual members have different requirements and demands on a new crop protection prod - uct. To farmers, high effectiveness against Phytophtora as well as operator and environmental safety is paramount. But flexible dose rates and spraying intervals are also important. Next in the line, potato processors are confronted with a) consu - mers’ quality expectations and b) technical demands such as the shape and size of potatoes and their frying qualities to guarantee successful processing at a reasonable price. Retailers finally, especially those in the fresh potato segment, have to cope with consumers’ sensibility towards looks and cooking properties of fresh food. To them, healthy and clean potato skin is of great importance. In order to best meet the different expectations of those involved, Bayer CropScience decided to invite all members of the potato value chain to field trials and cooperate with them in the final development of Infinito. Sabine Stolz, Food Chain Manager Europe and Global Key Relation Manager for UK supermarket retailers at the Bayer CropScience Headquarters in Monheim, points out: “There are two strategies in Food Chain Partnerships we pursue at Bayer CropScience. Usually the emphasis lies on individual crop cultures where, for a particular location or situation, we help define a schedule of crop protection measures to be taken over the course of the year. Of course, only registered, approved crop protection products can be included in this schedule. The UK Potato Project was something new for us. Here, the potato value chain members were involved at the developmental stage of a new crop protection product already.” Patrick Mitton, Cambridge-based food industry stewardship manager, says: “At Bayer CropScience, we naturally want to introduce products that are tailored to the demands of the market. It is essential to develop products that satisfy our customers’ expectations and offer the best possible solution for all interested parties.” To begin with, the new product’s active substance, fluopicolide, had a favourable technical profile. Not only does it offer outstanding efficacy, particularly in respect of tuber blight control. It also met the expectations of the food companies. But there is always room to improve things. So, two seasons before the launch of Infinito, many British farmers, processors and retailers were asked for their ideas and recommendations for a product profile. During the two year pre-launch development The potato farmer’s aim: high-quality and healthy-looking potatoes. 12 COURIER 1/08
phase, representatives from across the complete potato supply chain were invited to visit the field trials. “Together we evaluated the dose rates and spraying intervals to be considered”, Patrick Mitton explains. “Potato chain members thus had the chance to contribute to the final design of the new product, knowing their participation was going to pay off and be of advantage to them.” In the end, the technical profile of Infinito was so finely tuned to the expectations of a crop protection product by the UK food supply chain, that if they had been asked to design a product to satisfy their needs, Infinito would have been the result. Food businesses in the UK were keen to support the product from the first day of commercial launch. This isn’t the norm, as Sabine Stolz reveals: “Usually, a new crop protection product is developed Patrick Mitton, Food Industry Manager for Bayer CropScience in the United Kingdom. and launched without involvement of food chain members. The big retailers then wait and see until they have gathered enough information about the benefits of the product. This takes about a year or two on average. Only then do they give their approval and include the new crop protection product on their lists.” Not with Infinito. Due to the UK Potato Project, confidence was so high right from the start that the new product was placed on all recommendation protocol lists, thus ensuring a commercial “free passage” in time for the growing season. So much was the enthusiasm, that players from across the complete food supply chain requested Sabine Stolz, Food Chain Manager Europe, at Bayer CropScience Headquarters in Monheim, Germany the use by brand. Sabine Stolz smiles: “Everyone knows Infinito, everybody wants to use it.” Patrick Mitton adds: “We feel a great sense of achievement when we hear the great retailers request Bayer Crop- Science products by name.” Moreover, the UK Potato Project has increased trust, flexibility and a great relationship among all parties involved. “It was a decidedly positive experience”, Sabine Stolz recalls. “We did not expect such a great response. Now we have adopted the same strategy for a product that will be launched in two years time on a different market. From the UK Potato Project we’ve learned just how important and meaningful it is to involve all food chain partners at a very early stage already – especially in the development of a new product.” ■ 1/08 COURIER 13
Page 1 and 2: COURIER The Bayer CropScience Magaz
Page 3 and 4: World potato production 1991-2007 (
Page 5 and 6: Potato production by region 2007 Po
Page 7 and 8: virus-free seed potatoes will also
Page 9 and 10: Sabine Sulzer, Product Manager for
Page 11: Some tips for preparing potatoes
Page 15 and 16: For more than a century, the Nether
Page 17 and 18: This is Agrico Agrico is a co-opera
Page 19 and 20: “Phytophthora infestans will cont
Page 21 and 22: New combination of active substance
Page 23 and 24: From yield reduction to total yield
Page 25 and 26: Moreover, Biscaya benefits from inn
Page 27 and 28: as far back as 7,000 years ago, whe
Page 29 and 30: Starch - an impressively versatile
Page 31 and 32: Compostable plates and saucers Toys

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