Spud boss digging into her role
Six months into the Potatoes New Zealand chief executive role and Kate Trufitt has embraced the challenges and opportunities with enthusiasm.
A potato virus has been found in Canterbury.
Biosecurity New Zealand is working with Potatoes New Zealand to respond to a detection of Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) in potato tubers.
Incident controller, David Yard, says PMTV is not a food safety issue.
“Potato mop-top virus is a crop disease which, if found to be wide-spread, could cause some productivity issues for growers.
“It is a notifiable and unwanted organism in New Zealand under the Biosecurity Act.”
Yard says to date, potato tubers from two properties in the Canterbury region have tested positive for the virus. Further sampling is under way in the region.
“This is the first time the virus has been found in New Zealand, however it is common in other countries.”
Potatoes New Zealand chief executive, Chris Claridge, says the affected potatoes are from the Innovator variety, which are only used for potato chips.
“The industry is working closely with Biosecurity New Zealand to learn more about the virus, the impact it could have on growers, and to stop any risk of spread,” Claridge says.
“We will then consider if it is possible to eradicate it, or whether we will need to work with growers to manage its impact over the long term.”
The Innovator variety of potato was last imported as germplasm into New Zealand in July 2011.
Affected potatoes can display symptoms including distortions to the skin, deep cracking, and rust-coloured arcs, streaks or flecks in the tuber flesh.
Biosecurity New Zealand is investigating how the virus may have entered the country.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.