* UNDER amendments to the Potato Marketing Scheme, approved by the

Government, all Potato Marketing Board district members will retire on

October 31 this year. As a result, elections to each of the board's

district seats -- which are being reduced from 18 to 13 -- will be held

on October 26, with each district electing one member for a period of

four years, or until the earlier revocation of the scheme.

The provision for the special member for Scotland and one for England

and Wales has been discontinued. That means the PMB in future will

comprise 13 elected and three Government-appointed members, making a

total of 16 instead of 23.