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Potato Boxes

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How Potato Boxes Affect All Our Lives (even though you've probably never heard of them)

This obscure product, usually reserved for the eyes of potato farmers only, has an important part to play in the lives over everyone that consumes potatos - which is pretty much everyone, especially you chip lovers!

Potato boxes are essential for use in the storage, transit and distribution of potatoes. They may look just like wooden boxes, but if you've ever tried lifting a bag of spuds you'll start to appreciate the strength that these boxes must have. Not only that, but the type of wood used is highly important because close contact with the wrong wood, or treated wood, could destroy the crop in days.

If you're a potato farmer, you need potato boxes manufactured to the British Standard. You can buy standard sizes, but if you have unique storage needs, you and can get custom-made boxes.

A World Without Potato Boxes Just Doesn't Bear Thinking About

Could The Irish Potato Famine Have Been Averted?

The Irish Potato Famine between 1845 and 1852 when the island's population dropped by 20-25 percent. Over 1 million people died and a million more emigrated. The cause of the famine was a disease known as potato blight.

Although blight ravaged potato crops throughout Europe during the 1840s, the impact and human cost in Ireland-where a third of the population was entirely dependent on the potato for food-was exacerbated by a host of political, social and economic factors which remain the subject of historical debate.

The potato box as we know it today was a long way off from being invented. The fact that they allow large scale, dry storage of potato crops means that there would have been a much larger stock of potatoes across Europe in 1840, much of which may have been saved from blight by the humble potato box.

The fact that the British had plenty of stock but didn't think highly enough of the Irish to ship some over is a point not for this article. Other European neighbours may have had plenty to spare if it was possible to store and transport in the efficient manner allowed by potato boxes.

The famine was a watershed in the history of Ireland. Its effects permanently changed the island's demographic, political and cultural landscape. For both the native Irish and those in the resulting diaspora, the famine entered folk memory and became a rallying point for various nationalist movements. Modern historians regard it as a dividing line in the Irish historical narrative, referring to the preceding period of Irish history as "pre-Famine."

One thing's for sure, these boxes allow far greater protection of this staple part of the western diet.

Considering fish and chips is the most popular take-away dish in the UK, we'd be pretty well stuffed without this simple but brilliant invention.

A Guide to Potato Boxes

Choosing the Right Box

There are three different strengths that are supplied, commissioned by The Potato Board and Health and Safety Executive for the manufacturing of potato boxes. The three types are made for uses with different machinery.

Class 8 - For stacking up to 8 high when filled. Suitable for constant use in mechanical handling operations.

Class 6 - For stacking up to 6 high when filled. Not suitable for frequent use in mechanical handling operations which involve tipping full boxes unless clamped to limit racking movement.

Class 4 - For stacking up to 4 high when filled. Not suitable for frequent use in mechanical handling operations which involve tipping full boxes unless clamped to eliminate racking movement.

Thanks to was founded by Mark Attwood for this content.