Portal de Cartagena
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The Director General of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Carmen Teodora Morales, participated yesterday in the briefing organized by Coag-Ir in El Algar with producers in the field of Cartagena to explain the situation of the pest 'Epitrix sp', known as potato flea beetle, and the requirements established UK for the introduction of tubers from Spain.
Carmen Teodora Morales informed the attendees of the meeting held at the Ministry of Agriculture on the export of potato and technical staff of the Plant Protection Service of the Ministry of Water also explained that this new pest are located in areas of Galicia, Asturias and Andalusia, in addition to Portugal.
Flea beetle larvae feeding on the surface of the tubers caused small galleries, while adults, just 2 millimeters in size, are located in the leaves of the plant.
In case of emergence, the legislation establishes as mandatory as brushing or washing the tuber, which is an additional cost for producers.
UK forces the washing of the potato production areas where this beetle is not declared, as in the case of the Region of Murcia, and brushing for areas where the pest is present.
Morales explained that "this situation is unusual, since the United Kingdom has established measures that prevent the free movement of goods, contrary to the phytosanitary European Union law".
He also said that "washing the potato extratemprana is unworkable because the rot games are favorable and therefore should arbitrate other control measures to ensure that shipments comply with phytosanitary security standards".
The director general added that "counseling is struggling to defend the interests of the sector and make available personnel Plant Health Service for surveys in plots, flea markets, home gardens and processing establishments intensified to ensure no presence of the pest, even inspecting plot to plot those that destine their production to the UK ".
Source: CARM
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