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The Times & The Sunday Times
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Potatoes in line for EU protection

The Times
The UK government has applied for the county’s new potatoes and the “Ayrshire earlies” brand to be granted Protected Geographical Indication status
The UK government has applied for the county’s new potatoes and the “Ayrshire earlies” brand to be granted Protected Geographical Indication status
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The Times

Ayrshire new potatoes are in line to have their identity protected under European law.

The UK government has applied for the county’s new potatoes and the “Ayrshire earlies” brand to be granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.

The proposal was put forward by a growers’ group based in Girvan, citing evidence of commercial potato farming in the county as far back as 1793.

The sandy soil and milder weather made it ideal for early sowing and early harvests, with potatoes typically getting to market within seven days of harvesting.

Farmers used seaweed from Ayrshire beaches as fertiliser, and manure from local dairy farms.

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If successful, Ayrshire new potatoes would join more than 70 UK food and drink products with PGI status. These include Arbroath smokies and Stornoway black pudding. In November applications were also lodged for Dundee cake and Forfar bridies to be protected.