Edinburgh to host World Potato Congress

Edinburgh will become the centre of the potato universe in May 2012 with the World Potato Congress being held in Scotland for the first time.

The four-day event is expected to attract more than 600 delegates from all over the world, including growers, producers, traders, processors and manufacturers.

It will be hosted by the UK Potato Council. Chairman Allan Stevenson said: "This is a great opportunity to showcase the British potato industry on a global scale.

"The information exchange and first hand exposure to developments in the potato sector will benefit both British and international potato industry."

In a conference that will form part of the event, an international line-up of speakers will address the issues currently facing the industry the world over.

At the signing ceremony, Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government Cabinet secretary for rural affairs and the environment, said: "The fact that Scotland has been chosen to host such a prestigious event is further evidence of its growing reputation as a land of food and drink. With an estimated value of 180 million, potatoes are very important to our agricultural economy."

The president of World Potato Congress, Allan Parker, added: "We typically attract delegates from across the potato industry spectrum, as well as related commercial interests such as equipment manufacturers, crop protection specialists, banking and finance experts, marketing specialists, scientists, and many more."