A major new survey of British potato growers reveals a sector facing significant short-term pressure, with confidence low for the coming season as growers contend with rising costs, policy uncertainty, labour challenges and threats from pests and disease.
However, the survey also shows that growers retain greater confidence in the longer-term future of the industry, provided the right policy, market and investment conditions are created.
Around 43% of respondents were pessimistic or very pessimistic about prospects over the next 12 months, compared to just 26% who expressed confidence. However, the picture improves when growers look further ahead, with 37% saying they are confident or very confident about the sector’s five-year outlook, compared with 24% who were pessimistic.
The survey, conducted by GB Potatoes and analysed by Pareto Consulting, was carried out in late 2025 – before the onset of the conflict in Iran and before this season’s crop went in the ground. Even then, growers were already reporting rising costs and a notable lack of confidence about the season ahead. Subsequent events are likely to have intensified those concerns further.
Notably, short term pessimism increased with experience in the sector – rising from 14% among growers with five or fewer years in the industry to 45% among those with more than 20 years’ experience. Those who know the sector best are most concerned about what lies immediately ahead.
A striking 94% of respondents reported that production costs rose between 2024 and 2025, and 58% said that rising costs were already undermining investment in future production.
Scott Walker, CEO of GB Potatoes said: “These results reflect what we are hearing from growers on the ground. Confidence is clearly low for the coming season, and the pressure on margins is very real. Growers are having to make difficult decisions about planting, investment and the scale of their operations.
“But the survey also shows that growers have not lost faith in the future of British potato production. Confidence improves when they look beyond the immediate season. That tells us there is still belief in the sector – but it depends on the right conditions being created.”
Confidence in government policy was strikingly low, with 83% of growers saying they lacked confidence in the relevance of policy to their needs. While the sector has previously welcomed engagement from the current administration, growers are calling for that dialogue to translate into meaningful action on the biggest challenges facing potato production.
More than 80% of growers cited the availability of crop protection products, water availability and the impact of environmental regulations as moderate or extreme challenges. Recruitment difficulties were also widespread, with 68% of respondents reporting difficulty or extreme difficulty in finding staff.
The survey captures a broad cross-section of British potato production, with 95% of respondents growing ware potatoes and 26% growing seed potatoes (and 20% producing both). In 2025, mean yields were 32 t/ha for seed and 47 t/ha for ware, with output split roughly evenly between the fresh and processing markets – 50% of ware production went to fresh and 46% to processing.
Despite that productive base, growers were pulling back on their planting intentions for the current season. While planted area grew between 2024 and 2025 – with 58% of ware growers expanding their area – the picture for 2026 is markedly different. Only 12% of ware growers intended to increase their planted area, while 33% planned to reduce it and 56% to hold steady. The trend is similar for seed growers, where 30% intended to reduce their area and just 12% were looking to increase.
The link between confidence and planting decisions is clear. Those intending to reduce their area in 2026 were significantly more likely to hold pessimistic views and to be dissatisfied with their contractual arrangements – 43% of pessimistic ware growers planned to cut their area, compared to 23% of those who are more confident. The challenge for the sector, and for policymakers, is to create the conditions that rebuild confidence for future seasons.
Despite the difficult outlook for the coming season, there are strong signs of ambition within the sector with 38% of respondents reporting that they are already investing in mechanisation or automation, with a further 29% considering doing so – together representing a significant majority who see technology as part of their future. It is a reminder that, despite the current pressures, British potato growers remain progressive and committed to building a more productive and resilient sector, given the right conditions to do so.