Ciarán Cuffe
Question:76 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the measures taken by him to prevent ring rot in potatoes causing problems for Irish growers. [29330/03]
Written Answers. - Potato Disease.
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Question:88 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps being taken to prevent the spread of potato ring rot to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Bernard Allen
Question:96 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps he has taken to ensure that ring rot will not enter this country; the current situation with respect to the disease in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29228/03]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:126 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps which have been taken to prevent the spread of potato ring rot that appears to be evident in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29479/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 76, 88, 96 and 126 together.
Ring rot is a bacterial disease that only affects potatoes. It is not airborne and does not survive in soil without a host crop. However, it can survive for some time on machinery, handling equipment and stores. The disease is primarily introduced by the planting of infected seed potatoes.
Under Council Directive 93/85/EEC all member states are obliged to carry out annual surveys for the disease. The directive also lays down detailed measures that must be observed for the detection, prevention, spread and eradication of the pathogen. Last year a survey of the potato sector was conducted and 600 samples were taken. It included the national crop of seed and ware and imports from the EU and third countries. The sampling regime is based on risk analysis and to date all samples have proved negative for ring rot.
A single infection of the disease on one farm in Wales has been confirmed. It triggered a review of our measures that have proven adequate to date. I will continue to monitor the situation in the United Kingdom in consultation with the authorities there.
Testing for the disease is being reviewed in the context of the risks involved. All commercial growers are being asked to identify their seed source with a view to identifying risk material. Strategies to combat the risk of infection are being formulated between my Department and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland. Some re-orientation of existing controls with an increase in inspection levels, follow-up sampling and testing is also being undertaken.