Scotland's potato production enjoys an excellent plant health reputation and is free of several damaging disease including, potato brown rot, potato ring rot and Dickeya species. The maintenance of this record is vitally important to the Scottish potato industry. A key measure to prevent new diseases becoming established is to monitor potatoes entering the country and check them for any infection or infestation.
The following notification requirements are in place:
Statutory notification of all non-Scottish seed potatoes, including those from other parts of the UK.
Statutory notification of ware potatoes from Poland, due to the high level of brown rot outbreaks in Poland.
If you are planning to bring in non-Scottish seed potatoes, or Polish ware potatoes, to Scotland you should contact your local Area Office, or email: php@scotland.gsi.gov.uk at least 48 hours prior to arrival and provide the following details:
- the proposed time, date and means of arrival of the potatoes;
- the proposed point of entry;
- the proposed destination;
- the variety;
- the quantity of potatoes; and
- the producers identification number or reference number of lot
SASA will carry out a risk assessment and, if necessary, make arrangements with the local Area Office for samples of the material to be taken and tested for potato brown rot, potato ring rot and Dickeya before planting. There is no charge for this service.
Egyptian Potatoes
Only ware potatoes from pest free areas (PFA)(list A or list B) in Egypt are allowed to be imported into Scotland. Notification of this has been issued to Companies who may be interested in packing, washing or processing Egyptian potatoes as annual authorisation is also required to handle this material.
Voluntary notification of ware potatoes from Portugal and Spain, to monitor the risk of introducing Epitrix (flea beetle) species
In addition to these provisions, Regulation 6 of the Seed Potatoes (Scotland) Regulations 2000 is in place to protect the health of seed potatoes, particularly from the devastating disease brown rot and ring rot, by controlling their contact with farm saved seed potatoes, ware potatoes and with any plant, machinery, equipment, container, store or vehicle previoulsy used in the production of ware potatoes.
Notification of these potato provisions has been sent to all potato growers, growers' co-operative and potato processors, washers and packers in Scotland and if you need to apply for exemption from this regulation you should complete the application form and return it to your local RPID office.