Export of Potatoes

EUREPGAP Certification

The production of potatoes is an important agricultural activity in Malta. About 1,000 farmers, mainly part-time farmers, are involved in this activity. The total area cultivated is about 1,800 hectares and the total production is estimated to be 35,000 tonnes.

The certified disease-free seed potatoes of the yellow-fleshed varieties (Alpha, Santé, Berber, Ditta, Arinda) are imported from Holland whereas the seed potatoes of the white fleshed varieties (Cara, Avondale, Slaney) are imported from Ireland.

In the period mid-March to Mid-May about 6,000-7,000 tonnes of potatoes are exported to countries of the European Union, mainly to Holland. The spring-crop potatoes from Malta are very appreciated in particular on the Dutch market. The Malta potatoes achieve premium and distinct prices from the produce of other European countries. In fact Malta potatoes are often referred to in the trade journals as the “Maltas”. The Dutch consumers, especially those having the traditional eating habits, have acquired a preference for our produce for which they are ready to pay high prices.

The leading supermarkets in Europe are insisting that they will only trade fresh fruits, vegetables and potatoes which are EUREPGAP Certified. The suppliers of fruit, vegetables and potatoes need to abide by the standards of Good Agricultural Practice.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has taken action to comply with EUREPGAP Standards for the development of Good Agricultural Practices in the production of potatoes (and eventually other crops) intended for the export market (and eventually also for the local market).

The current Potato Export Contract with Messrs Daalimpex and Hagé of the Netherlands under Clause 7 stipulates the “the delivery of the Malta Spring Crop Potatoes will be according to EUREPGAP conditions with full traceability back to the subjective growers”.

It is therefore the duty of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to ensure that farmers growing potatoes for export are trained to be compliant with the EUREPGAP Protocol. All growers should be able to demonstrate their commitment to:

(a) maintaining consumer confidence in food quality and safety;
(b) minimizing detrimental impact on the environment;
(c) reducing the use of agro-chemicals;
(d) improving the efficiency of the use of natural resources; and
(e) ensuring a responsible attitude towards worker health and safety.

In order to start off this initiative the Ministry of Agriculture has entered into an agreement with Plantconsult, a Dutch Consultancy Agency, specialized in surveys, analysis, quality control, supervision on quality assurance systems and food safety, to carry out a training programme for Maltese Agricultural Officers/Technicians.

Thirteen Agricultural Officers have been selected to participate in a training programme during which they were familiarized with all Eurepgap Documents, Protocols, Regulations, Control and Checkpoints. The thirteen participants successfully completed the training and were awarded the Plantconsult Certificate.

The participants were the following:

	Mr Francis Sammut	Mr Charles Farrugia
	Mr Matthew Tabone	Mr Pierre Bugeja
	Mr Kristinu Azzopardi	Mr Carmel Abela
	Mr Anthony Muscat	Mr Alexander Tabone
	Mr John Galea	Mr Gaetano Schembri
	Mr Jason Sammut	Ms Jeanette Farrugia
	Mr Vince Schembri

This officers have been spit up in six teams and each team has been assigned a specific potato growing area. Twenty farmers from each area will be trained and monitored during the potato growing season (ie November 2002 to May 2003) to ensure that Eurepgap principles are being adhered to. This entails weekly advisory visits by the trained officers to the selected farmers, filling up of Eurepgap data sheets and certification of the potatoes intended for export.

It is the intention of the Ministry of Agriculture that in the forthcoming export season an appreciable quantity of the exported potatoes will be Eurepgap certified to satisfy as much as possible the requirements of the Dutch Importers.