Australia’s National Management Group (NMG) has confirmed that potato mop-top virus (PMTV), recently detected in Tasmania, cannot be eradicated from the country. The decision, announced on 19 September, follows advice from the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests.

The assessment cited multiple factors: the difficulty of detecting all infected areas, the virus’s ability to persist undetected in soil, its widespread association with powdery scab—a known vector already present in Tasmania and on the mainland—and the risk of spread through seed, tubers, and soil movement.

In the coming weeks, the NMG will consider financial assistance for Tasmanian potato growers, with options available under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed to help offset losses and costs incurred.

PMTV, transmitted by the pathogen that causes powdery scab, affects developing potato plants and can lead to quality defects such as skin distortions, cracking, and flesh discoloration. In some varieties, the virus may also reduce yields.

Authorities have emphasised that there are no food safety or human health risks linked to PMTV or powdery scab. Potatoes remain safe to eat.

Biosecurity Tasmania is continuing to work with growers and industry groups to conduct further surveillance and diagnostic testing of seed stock. These measures are aimed at better understanding the distribution of the virus and limiting its spread.