Mike Renouard, business unit director at The Jersey Royal Company, the Island’s biggest grower and exporter, has said that in order to reinforce the Jersey Royal potato’s premier credentials in light of increasing competition, it may be necessary to limit production in the future.
“We need to maintain a premium and it is my belief that in the future perhaps we need to grow slightly less and not chase down the big volume promotions which drive down the price but maintain a premium above the other higher yielding less flavoursome varieties,” he told the Jersey Evening Post.
“We also need to continually remind the consumer that this is a freshly harvested spud that is seasonally produced in some of the most fertile soils in the British Isles and, yes, ‘buy British’ as we are part of Britain and so our carbon footprint is much lower than many imports,” he added.
Depending on conditions that affect the crop, around 30,000 tonnes of Jersey Royals are exported to the UK over a five-month season. The Jersey Royal Company produces between 15,000 to 18,000 tonnes which equates to between 50 and 70 per cent of exports. The remainder is grown by some nine farmers, seven of whom send their potatoes to Albert Bartlett Jersey.
Mike Renouard commented, “The Jersey Royal Brand is still one of only a few true brands in the fruit and veg sector. However, it has to compete in terms of price, and this is difficult when you are up against newer varieties that can give twice the yield and can be on the supermarket shelves for nearly 12 months of the year.”