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Pictured: Potato grower Alan Mitchell (left) and Simon Woodhams from The Co-operative Farms delivering the first new season Cornish potatoes to the Co-op Penzance store.

Co-operative customers in Cornwall will today be the first in the country to pick up new season Cornish potatoes from their local stores.

The Co-operative is the first supermarket to stock the new crop this year, and the potatoes will be delivered direct from farm to five stores: Wadebridge, Penzance, Wherrytown, Falmouth and Hayle. Some potatoes will travel less than six miles to the nearest store. By early May, when more potatoes have been harvested, they will be supplied to all Co-operative stores in Cornwall.

The Co-operative Farms has been working with local growers to set up the direct delivery. Each year the farming business employs graduate trainees and for his first project, one of this year's graduates, Tom Paybody, has had a key role in liaising with growers and stores in Cornwall.

One grower who will be supplying The Co-operative, Alan Mitchell, of Tom Mitchell & Sons, has been in the industry since 1960.

Alan said: "Our first of the season new potatoes are grown in an area known as 'The Golden Mile', a tiny pocket of land overlooking the bay in west Cornwall which catches the sun. Cornwall, and in particular the Penwith region of the county has always been particularly 'early' land due to the influence of the Gulf Stream and the mild climate."

Neil Moorcroft, category buyer for potatoes at The Co-operative Group, said: "We work closely with our suppliers and growers to ensure we provide high-quality, locally grown seasonal produce. We are delighted that this has resulted in being able to offer our customers the first Cornish new potatoes of the year."

The first potatoes on sale will be the early variety Rocket, and then different varieties will be chosen depending on when they are at their peak quality for the best taste.

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