The Head of the U.K. Potato Council's seed and export division has spoken out about a frustrating and costly season, due to an ongoing row with the Canary Islands plant protection authorities which have been rejecting consignments. 

Each year large quantities of GB ware potatoes and seeds are exported to the archipelago off the south coast of Spain and northwestern Africa.

But this season has been particularly difficult, says, Robert Burns, because of disagreements over soil acceptance levels.

The Canaries cannot sustain potato volumes domestically and so have been involved in a long-term collaboration with producers in England and seed suppliers in the U.K. to maintain demand for the local population and the nine million tourists that visit the islands every year.

"This makes it a regular destination for 30,000 Metric Tons (MT) of high quality GB ware, predominately from Essex. The Canaries also import our high quality, high health seed stocks for replanting," Burns says in a release.

Almost 2% of ware consignments have been rejected due to the presence of soil and a small number of seed consignments were also rejected for being above disease tolerance levels.

"The Canary Islands has a different plant health status to the rest of Spain and is treated by the EU as a 'third country'. This means consignments are required to be inspected by plant health inspectors and accompanied by phytosanitary certificates which confirm that they meet all the importing country’s requirements."

The U.K. government Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has been working, via the British Embassy in Madrid, since last year to build relationships with key personnel at the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA), the authority that oversees import controls and enforcement on the Canary Islands.

"It’s imperative that rejection issues are swiftly resolved. This long-standing trade arrangement is recognized as important to both the U.K. and Spain."

The release adds that Defra’s discussions with MAGRAMA, have confirmed that the Canary Islands regulations are interpreted as a 'zero tolerance' for soil on imported material. This is based on the Canary Islands Order of 12 March, 1987, which details plant health rules for the import/export of plants and plant products.

"While no one knows the exact date of the potato’s arrival in Europe, its entry point was probably Spain’s Canary Islands, where traditional potato cuisine plays an important part of their culture," adds Burns

"The interpretation of zero tolerance means that there can be no soil adhering to the potatoes.

"It has been a frustrating time for GB exporters appealing the rejection process, which is completely impractical."

Defra has asked the Spanish authorities for further information and clarification about how the Canaries are interpreting disease tolerance levels.

He adds that a formal appeal in writing has to be submitted to MAGRAMA within one month of the rejection; however, the process is taking around six months which is completely unworkable.

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