Potato price 2018

[Roy_H]

I can't remember the last time I bought a good spud. I've tried different shops, different varieties and different growers.
I've even had more than one variety in the same bag and none of them have been good. When I grow my own I sell the surplus and can't dig them quick enough even though I charge a premium.

And what about SIZE. It seems as if anything goes these days . My wife is sick of me saying " If we'd have put taties as small as that in the ware they'd have sent the whole lot back to us pretty sharpish!"

 

[Spud]

Now that your all here, is a belt planter so much better than a cup? I have a 2013 standen sp200, bit of a faff changing the cup inserts and a bit slow planting. Had it from new but I’d guess not worth much against a belt planter? Planting 120 acres of chipping spuds just Dad and myself.

Contemplating similar myself. 2011 Standen SP200 here from new replaced an unsatisfactory 2001 Structural belt planter that was only here a year, and in tyurn replaced a very tired Standen EHO25, which was great once we strengthened it up!

Nowt wrong with the SP200 at all, its just when it came, it was the strongest part of the planting gang, and following a few upgrades in the rest of the kit, its got left behind a bit. Planter driver is brilliant, great at doing his own checks etc, which gives him, as well as I, peace of mind that all is well. If he had a faster planter, this would be easier to accomodate, and he'd keep up easier. Belt planters have moved on significantly in the last 5 or so years, we went to see a recent Structural planter at the end of this last spring and were seriously impressed, far far better than our old structural, and much quicker than our Standen, particularly with long and variable seed.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

We get fairly pinched while trying to plant and still bag up. The standen does the job fine but you can’t do more than 5km really without too many misses. I understand a belt planter can go twice as quick? Just wondering if Dad can get the land ready while I’m bagging up then I can go out later and get it planted up quicker.

At the time of buying the standen a belt planter was twice as much to buy. The standen was a good step up from a ransomes fawn on 32” rows with a tiny hopper, to 36” rows and hopper to take a full bag.

Trouble is it’s easy to spend this year! When I guess we’ve got to try and do the job cheaper. The Standen is paid for.

 

[Iben]

Belt planters are much faster and can handle a bigger range of seed sizes.

More maintenance required as a lot more moving parts. Had one once and it wasn't so good on hills, especially across slopes. That won't bother you, and I suspect newer ones will be better anyway.

Main difference is a belt planter just sows the seed, rather than placing with a cup planter. But set up right, they can be very good with a big output per day.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Do the spuds roll as much? And is it easier to change between sizes?

What would you recommend Miedema pm20? Grimme GB215?

 

[Spudking]

We had a demo of a gb 215 this season, very good , would plant anything from 65mm seed to 25mm and long seed was no problem, with normal seed you can be planting at 8-9.5 kph

 

[Sonoftheheir]

I’ve seen Grimme have a 2017 machine, only £32.5k

 

[Iben]

Snap it up quick then!

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Snap it up quick then!

That’s a little more than I’d like to pay

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Only 32” rows in a 182 track too

 

[Iben]

That’s a little more than I’d like to pay

You are already on the slippery slope. Need another harvester, so up the area. Now planter is the weak point, so change that.

Up area again to pay for that.

Now need more storage capacity, so build shed. Up area to pay for that.

Tractors are now weak point, buy some bigger ones. Up area to pay for them.

Harvester starting to struggle.............

 

[welger]

what is the price per 25 kg of marfona

 

[Fen Farmer]

Where are people finding prices for Agria and Markies at the moment?

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Where are people finding prices for Agria and Markies at the moment?

Agria £400 here, don’t grow markies.

 

[Trying]

Where are people finding prices for Agria and Markies at the moment?

All done now started and finished at £400. (Markies)Not one complaint. Very happy with the money. Was hearing yesterday that there is such a wide price range and that one of the big boys have dropped £30 to keep orders.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Glad you got on well!

How did you get on tons to the acre? Far out from usual?

 

[Trying]

Glad you got on well!

How did you get on tons to the acre? Far out from usual?

1 1/2 ton down from usual. Which I happy with. They were a month later set. Bring on another baking year. [emoji6]

 

[Devil's advocate]

33p for 2.5kg at Morrison's

So £3.30 per 25kg

What a lot of robbing dogs you are lol.

back on topic sold all ours started at £8.50 & finished at £10

Buying Scottish now at £8 sometimes £8.50

 

[Honest john]

I was thinking today that it's taking 2.3 ac to fill a lorry.

Last year it was taking 1.2 ac.

We started on a 10ac field graded it in 1.5 days.

 

[AndrewB]

Has anyone else heard about this, I saw it in the veg magazine, hate to think how much we’ve paid in levies over the years, would love to opt out!!