Higher storage losses due to the loss of chlorine?

The cause of the storage problems in England is moisture loss and associated problems such as weight loss, pressure points and softening of the potatoes. Moisture loss is closely related to the number of ventilation hours in storage. And those fans have been running more hours this season than in other years, reports the British market agency AHDB.

This started due to the wet conditions during harvesting, which required more hours to dry the product. But the new germination inhibitors that are being used since the authorization of Chlorine IPC was withdrawn last year also play a role.

In England, substances such as mint extract (Biox-M) and ethylene are mainly used (1,4-Sight does not have general approval). According to the AHDB, the resources require more (internal) ventilation, resulting in additional storage losses. About 6% more ventilation in 50 months simply leads to a few percent extra storage loss.

Dutch differences are less significant
Surveys in the Netherlands show that there are no major differences in storage losses here compared to other years. According to various specialists, excellent results can also be achieved with the new germ inhibitors, although the costs are a lot higher compared to Chlorine IPC. Adhering to the instructions on the label and optimal storage is sometimes a challenge. Many problems with dormancy can be traced back to incorrect application, ranging from potatoes that are not dried properly, application too late or too much empty space in storage.

Another important difference with England is that relatively little ethylene is stored in the Netherlands. According to various experts, this product requires regular renewal to prevent the potatoes from wearing out too much. The relatively cold spring should not be underestimated either. This has also had a huge advantage for potato storage this year. Partly because of this, the transition to the new sprout inhibitors went fairly smoothly in the Netherlands.