GB Potatoes has launched a nationwide survey to capture the most detailed picture yet of grower confidence, production levels and future outlook across the British potato sector.
The new Potato Industry Confidence Survey will provide the first structured, GB-wide benchmark of potato hectarage since the closure of AHDB Potatoes in 2022.
It aims to fill a major data gap at a time when the industry faces planting reductions, extreme weather volatility, disease pressures and increasing market consolidation.
GB Potatoes says the survey will offer the sector a unified snapshot of where potatoes are being grown, at what scale and under what pressures — crucial insight after several years of rising costs, shifting market conditions and intense scrutiny on environmental performance.
By combining sentiment data with hard production figures, the organisation hopes to guide more targeted support and investment.
Alex Godfrey, Chair of GB Potatoes, said the survey is designed to reflect the real conditions growers are operating in. “This survey is about much more than confidence, it is about understanding the reality of what is being grown, where, and under what conditions,” he said.
By capturing information on production hectarage as well as pressures such as costs, labour and water availability, he said the organisation can “build a clear, data-driven picture of the sector.”
Godfrey said the British potato industry remains “resilient and innovative, with enormous long-term potential”, and that accurate national data will strengthen the case for “the policies, research, and commercial support needed to secure that future.”
Findings from the survey will feed into GB Potatoes’ annual Confidence and Production Report, establishing a long-term benchmark that has been missing since AHDB’s disbandment.
The evidence will be used in discussions with government, researchers and supply-chain partners on investment priorities, productivity, market development and long-term resilience.
He encouraged growers to participate, saying: “We are asking growers to help create a national picture that reflects both the scale and the health of the industry.
"By contributing their data, growers will give GB Potatoes and its partners the insight needed to advocate for the sector with clarity and authority, and to help ensure the British potato industry remains both competitive and sustainable.”
The Potato Industry Confidence Survey is open until 16 January 2026, with all participants entered into a prize draw for a £50 voucher. Growers can complete the survey online via the link provided.
