Potato growers in the south of England have been advised to slow down and wait for rain so that their harvesters will carry more protective soil up the webs to prevent internal bruising.

No such advice is needed in Scotland, where lifting conditions have been very difficult, reported scotsman.com.

Speaking from his East Lothian farm, Potato Council chairman Allan Stevenson said he had never known such a difficult and costly potato harvest.

And as he surveyed his sodden fields, he added he would happily change places with those growers in the drier areas.

"It is one of the worst harvests in living memory in this area," he said. "The fields are so wet and lifting costs are much higher than normal getting the crop out of the ground."

While the majority of his crop was of high quality, he said, there was a significantly higher percentage of green potatoes and soft rots, both adding to the harvesting costs and both brought about by the high rainfall in July, August and September. The lifting experience is quite varied in different parts of Scotland.