CIPC Monitoring Group Urges Continued Sampling to Protect UK Potato Storage Capacity
The CIPC Residues Monitoring Group (CRMG) has submitted its second-year draft residues report to the Health and Safety Executive’s Chemical Regulation Division, providing new evidence on chlorpropham (CIPC) residues in potatoes stored during the 2024/25 season.
The submission will inform the regulator’s annual review of the temporary Maximum Residue Level (tMRL) for CIPC, which is currently set at 0.35 mg/kg. The temporary limit has been in place to manage the long-term persistence of CIPC residues in potato stores where the sprout suppressant was historically used.
According to CRMG, the report is based on residue data provided by growers, store managers and supply chain partners operating stores with a known history of CIPC use. In total, 156 individual sample results were submitted. Detectable residues were found in 21 samples, representing 13.5% of the total, with all recorded levels remaining well below the current temporary MRL.
While the latest data indicates a continued downward trend in residue levels, CRMG notes that the provisional findings closely mirror those seen in the first year of monitoring. This, the group argues, underlines the ongoing necessity of maintaining a temporary MRL while residues continue to decline naturally over time.
Without a temporary threshold in place, CRMG warns that many stores with historic CIPC use could exceed the standard detection limit, rendering them unusable. Such an outcome would significantly reduce available storage capacity and place additional strain on the UK potato supply chain.
Adrian Cunnington, Chair of the CIPC Residues Monitoring Group, said:
“It is hard to overstate the challenge if we lost our storage capacity; it would be devastating for the industry. We are watching residues come down year-on-year, but the biggest challenge remains getting enough samples. It is imperative that we continue to collect and submit residue data if we are to maintain our supply base for years to come.”
Looking ahead, CRMG is calling on the sector to support a third consecutive season of sampling to underpin the 2025/26 submission to the Chemical Regulation Division. Growers and store managers who are already carrying out multi-residue testing are being encouraged to submit chlorpropham results from potatoes that have been stored for a minimum of 60 days.
To ensure regulatory acceptance, all analyses must be conducted by laboratories accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
CRMG stresses that the availability of robust, representative data remains critical. Without sufficient industry participation, potato stores with a history of CIPC use could face an increased risk of being taken out of operation, further tightening storage availability.
Cunnington added:
“We are asking growers to help build an accurate national picture of residue levels across stores with a CIPC history. By contributing their data, growers will help ensure that the industry can continue to use vital storage capacity safely and responsibly.”
