Brussels, Belgium
December 17, 2013

New rules to modernise and harmonise quality and health requirements for the marketing of seed potatoes were endorsed today by experts meeting in the Standing Committee for Seeds and Propagating Material.

The new harmonised requirements reflect recent technical developments in seed potato production, a sector with a total annual value of 1bn euros.

The new rules reflect developments at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Standards for the early starting material of the propagation process, vital for the production of healthy, high-quality seed potatoes that farmers can plant in their fields, are introduced as well.

All this will help the European seed potato industry to benefit more from the single market and to strengthen their position in the export markets, where rising demand is a key development.

Website: http://europa.eu

Published: December 17, 2013