New standards have been introduced for seed potatoes in Prince Edward Island which will produce healthier crops and help strengthen the province's reputation in domestic and international markets. Beginning this year, all potato seedlots to be planted in the province for re-certification must contain virus levels of less than six percent. Those standards will be tightened next year to less than five percent for re-certification and the level for seed planted for tablestock and processing in 2000 must be less than 10 percent. The objective of the new measures is to bring the levels for seed and non-seed uses closer together over a relatively short period of time with the goal of having one level set for all seedlots to be planted in the province.
The standards have been introduced with new regulations under the Plant Health Act, and were approved by Cabinet this week.
"The new standards were established in response to requests from all sectors of the potato industry," said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Eric Hammill. "They will go a long way to help Prince Edward Island maintain its position as a producer of world class seed potatoes."
The standards will be reviewed on an annual basis with a view to reducing the cut-off level to a point that can be maintained in the long term. "The control of virus levels is the single most important factor in the revitalization of the seed potato sector," said the minister. "The success of this initiative will potentially be worth millions of dollars to the potato industry and the province in future years."
The new levels were set in consultation with the industry following the introduction of a mandatory post-harvest test in the fall of 1998. Every seed lot intended for planting in Prince Edward Island in 1999 was tested. Samples were taken from approximately 1200 seed lots under the supervision of plant health staff. As a result of the tests, some seed lots will not be planted in the province this year.
"This is of major significance to the future of the potato industry in this province," said Robert MacDonald, Chairman of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board. "The post-harvest testing program has clearly demonstrated that Prince Edward Island has a high quality product and continues to be the leader in meeting the demands of ever-changing world markets. No other potato producing area in North America has a mandatory program of this nature and we believe it is a good investment in the future of the Prince Edward Island potato industry."
Potato viruses in infected fields can be spread to healthy crops during the growing season by aphids. Potato viruses pose no health risks to people but they do cause yield and quality losses in the crop. Reducing the virus levels overall will be of benefit to all sectors of the industry, and will also lead to a reduction, if not elimination, of the need for pesticides to control them.