Early potato harvests are looking good for South Canterbury with early indications it will be an average season, Potatoes NZ technical manager Iain Kirkwood says.
Heavy rain pre-Christmas resulted in some Black Leg and Powdery Scab in crops but this has not proved a problem in Canterbury where between 50% and 60% of the national crop is grown, most of that in South Canterbury.
”Thankfully the early indications from harvested crops in these areas is that the occurrence is not too high,” Dr Kirkwood said.
An outbreak of the mop-top virus (PMTV) in potato tubers in both South and Mid Canterbury last year is still being monitored.
”Those are the only areas so far, where suspect potatoes have been tested.
”The majority of paddocks that have tested positive for the virus are in Mid-Canterbury region.
”Potatoes NZ is continuing to work with Biosecurity New Zealand on the response, to understand the spread and look at how industry can manage to minimise the impacts of the virus long-term.”
The affected potatoes are from the Innovator variety, which are only used for potato chips.
South Canterbury grower Raymond Bowan of Heartland Potato Chips said they had not been troubled by the virus and while the wet conditions had created a few bugs they had not been affected too much.
