Escocia: "We expect export tonnages to be comparable to last year’s."

Scottish seed potato exports increased in the 2024/25 season, rising from 92,000 tons the previous year to 104,000 tons last year. The 2025/26 season will end in April, but figures up to the end of February stood at 93,000 tons, in line with the 2024/25 tonnage at the same point in the year.

"The increase in 2024/25 was mainly due to increased demand for Scottish seed potatoes from the Egyptian market," according to Patrick Hughes of the Scottish Agri Export Hub. "We still have some seed in transit for export markets served towards the end of the export season, but we expect export tonnages to be comparable to last year."

"There was an assumption that exports to the Egyptian market might have decreased from 2024/25 onwards, but that has not happened to a large extent, and it appears that we have potentially performed better than our European competitors."

Conflict in the Middle East: There are currently Scottish seed potatoes on ships bound for Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. "The situation remains very fluid at the moment. There are export shipments currently heading to Southeast Asia, and we remain optimistic about avoiding any disruptions, but exports to the Middle East are more problematic. The sector is in constant dialogue with shipping lines, aware that the situation could change at any moment. We remain confident that the product will reach its final destination on time and without too many disruptions. For now, all we can do is take it one day at a time."

The worst-case scenario, according to Patrick, is that the seed potatoes are returned, as this would entail an additional cost, even though customers would still need the product. "The seed potato export sector can be quite complex; different countries need different varieties, so finding alternative markets to divert the product to is no easy task."