News Potatoes
After all, check after load of test material at NAK
Inspection service NAK from Emmeloord expects to be able to carry out regular follow-up checks in seed potatoes after the company has received a load of laboratory options on 9 July. NAK will announce this on Friday 10 July. A reliability test of the material was positive.
In brief:
- From August 3, follow-up check for mandatory samples.
- Three rounds of sampling in increasing volumes.
- Voluntary sampling only after mandatory samples have been completed.
- Class E, A and B of post-control group 3 exempt
- Trade must request samples faster and postpone spring deliveries.
- Growers must submit a report for early export varieties immediately after harvesting.
"We have our backs against the wall", NAK director Eric Casteleijn said Boerenbusiness know on July 6. 3 days before that, the inspection service, in consultation with their supporters and the sector, took a decision not to have a follow-up check. There was not enough PCR test material available due to the corona crisis. Director Casteleijn did not expect that the situation could change so quickly, he says. "This was not foreseen when the decision was made." The director says he is not shocked by the amount of reactions that followed the news. It was, however, surprised by the great interest in the decision.
Testing starts early
That has now changed. On Thursday 9 July, NAK received a load of test material. It does not come from the usual manufacturer and has therefore been tested and validated first. The results are positive, which means that the follow-up can now take place at the usual level. From August 3, the laboratory will be available early for the processing of samples. However, the capacity for processing samples is limited. Restrictions are therefore unavoidable, the company reports.
NAK took the decision in consultation with the board. Sampling is started in 3 rounds. In the first round it is possible to request samples of 200 tubers per 6 hectares. In the second round, this is increased to samples of 400 tubers. As soon as capacity allows, samples for the third round can be processed. Samples of 16x25 tubers can be submitted for this.
Exemption class E, A and B
Samples for PMTV (potato mop top virus) control must be requested in combination with brown and ring rot samples. Individual PMTV samples will only be processed as soon as capacity allows. Voluntary samples are also performed as soon as there is sufficient capacity and no mandatory samples to process. Class E, A and B of post-control group 3 are exempt from virus testing. Seed potato trading houses are being asked to request samples early or urgently for lots to be exported this fall. The samples for spring delivery are being abandoned. Growers must immediately report the harvest after harvesting the early export varieties.
Since February, NAK has had great difficulty obtaining PCR test material. For example, countries are preventing the export of the material. NAK obtains its test material from the US. The biggest problem is supplying special plastic plates with which the RNA virus is isolated. It is specific to the test equipment that NAK uses. Whether other manufacturers could supply these plates remained uncertain for a long time. The laboratory places have been adjusted to comply with the 1,5 meter rule of the RIVM. This means that the cutting capacity has been reduced by 15% and that the logistics process is more complicated.
Seed potato buyers dismayed
The European potato sector reacted with dismay when it was announced on 3 July that NAK announced that it would not carry out follow-up checks. Large Dutch buyers of seed potatoes were also dissatisfied with the decision. From Belgium, one of the largest buyers of Dutch seed potatoes, came reaction on the decision. The Belgian inspection service does have sufficient material. In a press release, the French seed potato organization FN3PT announced that it could also carry out the usual virus tests. However, they use the ELISA test method, which NAK abandoned 5 years ago. A reintroduction was not an option.
Niels van der Boom
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