Pesticide Usage in Scotland: Arable crops and Potato stores 2022

This publication presents information from a survey of pesticide use on Arable crops and Potato stores in Scotland during 2022.


Appendix 2 – Survey statistics

Census and sample information

Table 6 Distribution of sampled potato stores - 2022
Number of potato growers sampled in each region
Region   Number of stores
North: Highlands & Islands, Caithness & Orkney, Moray Firth and Aberdeen 11
Angus 36
Central: East Fife, Central Lowlands and Lothian 18
South: Tweed Valley, Southern Uplands and Solway 8
Scotland 73
Table 7 Distribution of stored potatoes in sample - 2022
Quantity (tonnes) of potatoes sampled in each region
Crop North Angus Central South Scotland
Seed potatoes 17,980 73,675 14,026 7,608 113,289
Ware potatoes 16,008 112,996 58,645 43,681 231,330
Total 33,988 186,671 72,671 51,289 344,619
Table 8 Distribution of sample areas – 2022
Areas (ha) of potatoes sampled in each region
Crop North Angus Central South Scotland
Seed potatoes 524 2,530 424 261 3,738
Ware potatoes 384 1,639 1,153 820 3,996
Total 908 4,169 1,577 1,081 7,735
Table 9 Distribution of SAF areas – 2022
Areas (ha) of potato crops grown in Scotland
Crop North Angus Central South Scotland
Seed potatoes 4,465 5,258 1,635 536 11,894
Ware potatoes 1,361 7,142 5,084 1,661 15,248
Total 5,826 12,400 6,719 2,197 27,142
Table 10 Raising factors – 2022
Region Seed Ware
North 8.5186 3.5461
Angus 2.0781 4.3572
Central 3.8602 4.4092
South 2.0566 2.0251
Table 11 First adjustment factors for ware potatoes – 2022
Region Ware
North 1.1439
Angus 0.9289
Central 0.9980
South 1.0001
Table 12 Second adjustment factors – 2022
Crop Adjustment factor
Seed potatoes 0.8848
Ware potatoes 0.7118

Financial burden to farmers

To minimise the burden on farmers, the survey team used non-visit methods of collection such as email, post, or telephone call.

To determine the total burden that the 2022 Potato Storage survey placed on those providing the information, the surveyors recorded the time that 73 respondents spent providing the data during the surveys. This sample represents 97 per cent of growers surveyed. The median time taken to provide the information was 10 minutes.

The following formula was used to estimate the total cost of participating:

Burden (£) = No. surveyed x median time taken (hours) x typical hourly rate*

(* using median "Full Time Gross" hourly pay for Scotland of £16.69)(9)

The total financial burden to all growers resulting from participation in the 2022 Potato Storage survey was calculated to be £203.06.

Contact

Email: psu@sasa.gov.scot

Back to top