Last week, the NZPPI Board agreed to sign the Solanaceae Readiness Operational Agreement (OA) on behalf of their Members. This agreement is a partnership between NZPPI, Vegetables NZ, Tomatoes NZ & Potatoes NZ to collaborate on projects to manage a range of diseases that have impacted Solanaceae horticulture crops in recent years.

The horticulture sectors have responded to several incursions in the past few years, including Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) and Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd), with an increasing risk of further incursions that will result in considerable costs and crop losses.

There are no confirmed projects or funding commitments in place at this stage, but discussions are underway to develop systems to avoid and manage future incursions. Plant producers play a key role in the production process and in managing these risks.

Signing the OA enables NZPPI to participate in the development of future management programmes, giving our members a say in how they are designed and implemented.

Source - https://www.hortidaily.com