Like many spring (and even winter) crops, seed potatoes production does not avoid the exceptional outbreak of virus-transmitting aphids this season.

In this very particular context and despite the sanitary situation related to COVID-19, France’s field inspectors are fully mobilized to carry out the inspection work in accordance with the agreement between French Federation of Seed Potato Growers (FN3PT) and GNIS/SOC, the competent authority for certification and phytosanitary matters for seed potatoes.

In a recent news release, FN3PT says that all the official tests required to guarantee the sanitary quality of seed potatoes will be carried out in accordance with the European and French regulations in force and as requested by the competent authority. With the outbreak of virus-transmitting aphids this season, the tests will be carried out on all lots in accredited and approved laboratories in addition to visual inspections in the field and in particular post-harvest tests for the detection of viruses (visual inspections and ELISA tests, where appropriate, qPCR tests) and immunofluorescence (IF) tests to verify the absence of quarantine bacteria. Laboratories have sufficient reagents to carry out these tests on French production.

Providing the necessary sanitary guarantees to the users of French seed potatoes, whether they are in France, in Europe or in other countries, is the priority and the commitment of the certified seed potato growers united within the FN3PT.

The Federation reaffirms its position that all lots must be officially tested, including those introduced into French territory. It is a question of sanitary preservation of the environment and productions from all sectors (seed, ware, processing potatoes). Specialists warn that vigilance must be taken with regard to the introduced seed potatoes, whose sanitary quality must comply with the regulations in order to avoid contamination of the territory.

FN3PT’s aim is to jointly study and implement all measures likely to improve the quality of French seed potatoes and is also qualified by the Ministry of Agriculture as a reference Technical Institute for seed potatoes. The Federation brings together all the certified seed potato growers in France: 850 production structures for 24,160 ha in 2020.