Canada: Alberta closes the book on potato cyst nematodes

Alberta has finally been declared free of potato cyst nematodes 14 years after the pest was first suspected in two fields, disrupting its seed potato industry. The announcement will ease the efforts of producers to expand their markets to other countries, said Terence Hochstein, executive director of the Potato Growers of Alberta (PGA) in Taber. “There was a lot of trade that was lost,” he said. “Some of those markets have never been regained. We’re slowly working our way back up to those levels, but we’re not near there yet.” The announcement was recently made by provincial Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen. “Potatoes are a billion-dollar industry in Alberta,” he said in a provincial statement. “The announcement will help us reclaim market access and will lead to fewer restrictions as we pursue new markets.” Alberta exports most of the seed potatoes produced in Canada, said the statement. The province’s cooler northern climate, including its shorter growing season ...