Australian Potato Industry fears Zebra Chip disease

AUSVEG CEO Richard Mulcahy said today that diseased potatoes had the potential to threaten the viability of the entire Australian potato industry if the Australian Federal Government allows potatoes to be imported for processing from New Zealand.

The devastating potato disease „Zebra Chip? disease complex (spread by the tomato-potato psyllid) has caused widespread destruction in New Zealand, and before that in the United States, costing the international potato industry millions of dollars.

“This has the potential to be catastrophic for the Australian potato industry and I must say that I've been very surprised at the lack of appreciation for the gravity of this situation by Biosecurity Australia in the discussions we've held with them,” Mr Mulcahy said.

The Ministry of Agriculture Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has formally requested renewed market access for fresh potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), for processing under a Quarantine Approved Premise arrangement (QAP), into Australia.