The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food of the Government of Spain has on Saturday officially granted permission for the importation of potatoes into the Canary Islands from the United Kingdom.
This decision follows a statement by the regional government, in which they revealed that the State, as the competent authority in this area, has issued an Instruction allowing the entry of this tuber from the UK, except for Kent where the presence of the Colorado beetle was detected.
As the Canarian Weeky reports, this authorization is based on information provided by the phytosanitary authorities of the UK, assuring that the pest has not established itself and that the British Government has taken appropriate measures in the affected areas.
In addition to granting import permission, a series of additional measures have been established concerning the packaging and labelling of the imported potatoes. These measures are designed to enhance and provide greater phytosanitary guarantees.
According to the new regulations, imported potatoes must undergo a thorough cleaning procedure involving brushing and/or washing to eliminate any traces of soil and harmful organisms. Furthermore, the labelling must include essential information about the potatoes, such as species, farmer code, variety, size, and packaging date. It must also include traceability data.
Source: Canarian Weekly. Read the full story here
Image: Credit Canarian Weekly
