Swift action needed to tackle beetle threat

The UK’s potato industry could be dealt a devastating blow if a species of beetle is allowed to enter the country, says the NFU.

The Epitrix flea beetle is at risk of spreading from affected regions in Spain and Portugal and experts predict it could wipe £40million from the potato market in this country. They also believe that if it does reach the UK it would be impossible to eradicate and costly to control.

Growers, processors and packers have been urged by the potato industry to notify the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) if they buy products from both these countries. The NFU believes this does not go far enough and wants the notification system to be set on a statutory basis as soon as possible.

NFU potato forum chairman Allan Stevenson said: "We hope that the entire industry will join forces to call for statutory measures to ensure swift action against this threat. It is vital that we take the lead in Europe on this issue to protect our growers from any possible harm."

The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) has, in the meantime, published a Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) on Epitrix, sooner than expected which may provoke EU-wide measures to actively manage the pest such as listing the beetle as a quarantine pest.

The NFU stresses, however, that growers should continue with the FERA notification scheme.