Potato exports guide

Northern Cyprus

Seed potatoes (updated 16 July 2019)

Growing crop tolerances

Class tolerances apply. 

Tuber tolerances

Inspector's instructions TU/2008/01 apply.

Minimum tolerances for seed export apply, except for:

• Gangrene (Phoma foveata): NIL
• Spraing (PMTV and TRV): NIL
• any symptoms by other viruses: NIL

Please note: Pre-export virus testing is not mandatory but can be provided by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, Virology and Zoology Section. For more details please contact Dr Christophe Lacomme, Senior Virologist, tel : +44(0) 131 244 8916 or email: Christophe.Lacomme@sasa.gov.uk

Other requirements

Import permit: required. 

Packaging: If wood packaging is used (e.g. boxes, pallets), this should be treated and certified. Wood material should comply with International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15) on wood packaging materials. 

Documents: Additional Seed Certificates may be required. Please contact relevant local Area Office to arrange these.

Procedures upon arrival: the Turkish Plant Health authorities will inspect 2% of the consignment upon arrival. A sample of 5% of the inspected material will be examined visually for quality diseases. 

Laboratory tests: the Turkish authorities will sample 200 tubers per 100 t and carry out laboratory tests for PMTV, TRV, PVA, PLRV, PVM, PVX and PVY. A nil tolerance applies for (latent) infection by these viruses. 

The export to Turkey of produce from growing crops showing any symptoms of virus infection should be avoided in view of the routine laboratory testing for latent virus infection carried out upon arrival. 

Shipments rejected by the Turkish authorities will be ordered to be re-exported. Appeals to rejections based on virus test results are unlikely to be successful. 

The risk of rejection of large shipments for virus can be reduced by applying for a separate Phytosanitary Certificate for each container. 

Associated regulations and legislation

Circular on Qualifications required in potato seeds for some potato diseases which are known as quality diseases in the framework of the Plant Quarantine Regulation Article 5 (2008) 

Regulation on Agricultural Quarantine 2003, as amended in 2012 (entered into force on 15.03.2012)

Regulation on plant quarantine from the ministry of the food Agriculture and livestock decree no. 29345 published on 4/5/2015

Additional declarations to be included on the reverse of the phytosanitary certificate for seed potatoes

1. The potatoes in the consignment are suitable for seed purposes and the crop(s) from which they were drawn was/were examined twice whilst growing by the Scottish Government's Inspectors and were certified true to type and to conform to the standard of freedom from virus diseases required for classification in the Scottish Government's classification schemes. 
2. Wart Disease (Synchytrium endobioticum) has not been known to occur on the land in which the potatoes were grown. 
3. Samples of soil from the land in which the potatoes were grown were drawn and tested by the Scottish Government prior to planting and revealed no trace of Potato cyst nematodes (Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida). 
4. Potato ring rot (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus, previously known as Corynebacterium sepedonicum), Potato brown rot (Ralstonia solanacearum), Colorado beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella), Potato spindle tuber viroid, Potato yellow dwarf virus, Potato yellow vein virus and Potato stolbur phytoplasma are not known to exist in Scotland. 
5. Potato tuber nematode (Ditylenchus destructor) has not been recorded in commercial stocks of potatoes grown in Scotland for more than 30 years. Stem bulb nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) has never been recorded on potatoes in Scotland. 
6. The consignment was found free from Gangrene (Phoma foveata) and virus infection by visual inspection.
7. The tubers have been selected before.
8.  The tubers have been grown from material which has been stored in accepted conditions. 
9. Items 32.1, 32.2, 32.3, 32.4, 32.4.2, 32.5, 32.6 and 43 of Annex IV of the current Plant Quarantine Regulations of Turkey have been fulfilled for this consignment of potatoes. 

Ware potatoes 

Wart disease

Potato wart disease (Synchytrium endobioticum) must not be known to have occurred in the field where the potatoes were grown or on agricultural land within 2 km of this field.

Tuber tolerances

Minimum tolerances for ware export apply. 

Other requirements

Import permit: required. 

Packaging: If wood packaging is used (e.g. boxes, pallets), this should be treated and certified. Wood material should comply with International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15) on wood packaging materials.

Additional declarations to be included on the reverse of the phytosanitary certificate for ware potatoes

1. Wart Disease (Synchytrium endobioticum) is not known to have occurred in the field in which the potatoes were grown or on agricultural land within 2 km of this field. 
2. Potato ring rot (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus, previously known as Corynebacterium sepedonicum), Potato brown rot (Ralstonia solanacearum), Colorado beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella), Potato spindle tuber viroid, Potato yellow dwarf virus, Potato yellow vein virus and Potato stolbur phytoplasma are not known to exist in Scotland.