News on Zebra Chip disease from Oceania

New research has been funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, to help the potato industry reduce issues caused by an insect intruder – the tomato-potato psyllid.

A simple mesh cover could be the answer to halting New Zealand's most devastating tomato and potato pests, the tomato potato psyllid.

Las mariquitas podrían ser la clave para la salvación de un insecto transmisor de una bacteria para la industria de la papa de Nueva Zelanda.

Research conducted by the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University, using the southern ladybird as a biological control agent, has shown the predator to be voracious and effective at reducing tomato-potato psyllid (TPP) numbers.

AUSVEG CEO Richard Mulcahy today said that an Inquiry held this morning by the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee is validation of concerns raised by AUSVEG about the biosecurity risks to the Australian potato industry of fresh p...

A bitter feud over plans to import potatoes from New Zealand is escalating, with growers accusing Australia's biosecurity body of fudging the science and lacking the knowledge to prevent a major pest outbreak.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) of the Australian Government has released a new statement on October 4 regarding the heavily contested proposal (e.g. by AUSVEG) regarding import of potatoes from New Zealand

A Senate Inquiry into the importation of fresh potatoes from New Zealand has been praised by the Australian horticulture industry. Last week, Senators Colbeck, Xenophon, Nash, Madigan and McKenzie moved that the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transpor...

Furious Tasmanian farmers have warned that the state's potato industry faces ruin if New Zealand imports are allowed.

A cartoon portraying Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard and senior ministers as children playing a video game has been launched by the potato industry as part of its war to block imports of New Zealand potatoes.

The public debate between AUSVEG and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) in Australia continues, with AUSVEG querying DAFF’s decision to go ahead with plans in light of South Korea’s decision to suspend imports of US potatoes due to concerns over zebra chip disease.

AUSVEG has “wrongly accused” the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) of basing quarantine conditions on outdated information, and of avoiding accountability, says DAFF.

A major pest called the tomato potato psyllid, has cost the potato industry over a $120 million since its initial discovery in 2006, according to a new report from Potatoes New Zealand. Ron Gall, Business Manager for Potatoes New Zealand, presented th...

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.