New Zealand: Potato industry further strengthen biosecurity partnership

Potatoes New Zealand Inc. (PNZ) today signed an agreement with Government to better protect the potato industry it represents in managing biosecurity. The industry group became the 14th partner organisation to join the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) for Biosecurity Readiness and Response. The Deed was signed by representatives from PNZ at a ceremony held on a potato farm in Koputaroa. The value of the New Zealand potato industry is $814 million per annum. There are 169 registered potato growers in New Zealand, producing 479,000 metric tonnes of potatoes in 2015, from 10,700 hectares planted. Like all other horticulture industries, the potato industry faces a number of biosecurity threats that could damage the industry. One at the forefront of people’s minds at the moment is Tomato Potato Psyllid (TPP). More