Potato farmers fear ring rot epidemic
The discovery of a highly damaging potato disease in Wales has led to concerns about the disastrous consequences of a sustained outbreak in the UK, and more general worries about bio-security in the EU.
The cost of controlling ring rot on Middlewood farm in Bwlch is expected to reach £400,000. 1,500 tons of seed potatoes were destroyed after Defra identified symptoms of the bacterial disease during its annual survey.
Defra has stressed the severity of the disease, and a similar condition called brown rot , stating: ‘If either were to become established in the UK, not only would our potato industry suffer direct yield losses, but the knock-on effect on the nation’s seed-potato industry could be substantial, especially for exports.’
The department has placed a movement ban on potatoes from the farm, and three other farms that recently received deliveries from Middlewood.
The ring rot is believed to have been brought into the country on infected Dutch seed. The disease is common in parts of North American as well as northern and eastern Europe, but is extremely rare in the UK.
Defra is now working with the Dutch authorities to try and trace the source of the ring rot and determine whether or not any other British farms have received delivery of potentially contaminated seed.
Amid concerns that an outbreak could have a similar impact on crop farmers to that of the foot and mouth crisis on livestock owners, a spokesperson for the British Potato Council, Dr. Mike Storey, stressed: ‘At this stage it is critical to contain and eradicate this outbreak and to ensure that there is no reestablishment of the disease.’
‘Nationally we may well be looking at a more comprehensive testing regime,’ he added.
