asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries what precautions are being taken to ensure that seed potatoes being sold in the Dublin region and grown in other parts of the country are not infected with eelworm.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Seed Potatoes.
64.
The sale for seed purposes of potatoes in which root eelworm exists is prohibited by the Potato Root Eelworm Order, 1951. My Department's potato inspectors have been instructed to take samples of soil, for laboratory examination for eelworm, from uncertified potatoes being sold as seed including those sold in the Dublin area. My Department is also prepared to examine, sample and test consignments of uncertified potatoes sold for seed if the purchaser so requests and gives the necessary particulars. Farmers can best avoid potato eelworm infection by following the advice repeatedly given by my Department to purchase only seed certified under the Department's seed potato certification scheme.
Does the Minister agree that there is a serious danger of eelworm spread as a result of the fact that there is a considerable amount of potatoes coming out of areas that are well known to be infested with eelworm into other areas that have not had it? I do not know whether this matter can be improved but there is need for action in this regard.
I fully agree that the danger exists. I repeat, and I know everybody interested in this business would repeat, that the only effective way of avoiding this is to buy only certified seed.
And not to go on planting it on the same land.
That would be the follow-up. To avoid infestation certified seed is the only answer.
And a prudent rotation of the location of crops?
That is to prevent its being developed.