The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food of the Government of Spain has formally approved the importation of potatoes from the United Kingdom into the Canary Islands. This decision followed a statement by the regional administration, which pointed out that the State, as the responsible authority in this area, has issued an Instruction authorizing the entry of this tuber from the UK, except for Kent, where the presence of the Colorado beetle was identified.

“This authorization is based on information provided by the phytosanitary authorities of the UK, assuring that the pest has not established itself and that the British Government has taken appropriate measures in the affected areas,” Canarian Weekly reported.

According to Narvay Quintero, the Area Councillor, mentioned that in collaboration with the Government of Spain and local producers, everyone involved in the matter worked together to find solutions to the potato shortage.

“We aim to protect the Canary Islands from the entry of this pest and to ensure a successful next harvest in the Islands, while also securing a stable supply of this essential dietary product,” Quintero added.

The packaging and labeling of the imported potatoes are subject to several additional regulations in addition to the import authorization. These actions aim to improve and offer more robust phytosanitary guarantees.

The new laws stipulate that imported potatoes must go through a thorough cleaning process that includes brushing and/or washing to get rid of any traces of soil and potentially hazardous organisms. Potatoes from other countries may include up to 0.5% permissible soil content. Additionally, crucial details about the potatoes, such as their species, farmer code, variety, size, and packaging date, must be included in the labeling. Additionally, traceability information must be included to identify the producer and the production region down to the plot level.

In particular, seed potatoes must be put inside fresh bags with a 25 kilos weight limit. To ensure the health and traceability of these bags, they should be tagged and sealed in locations designated for this purpose. The relevant phytosanitary authorities of the production zones will formally oversee the execution of all these procedures.

Potatoes that are meant for consumption may be shown in containers with a maximum carrying capacity of 1.5 tons. Additionally, to ensure their safety and traceability, these containers must be tagged and sealed at accredited facilities. They will be rigorously inspected by phytosanitary authorities in the production zones, just as seed potatoes.

All shipments of potatoes coming from the U.K. will be inspected to make sure that these rules are being followed. By taking these steps, the Canary Islands’ agricultural ecosystem will be safeguarded, and the area will have a steady supply of potatoes.