Potato growers and industry representatives in Tasmania say the mop-top virus is currently having a limited impact on production.
The virus was first detected on a Tasmanian farm in July, marking the first confirmed detection in Australia. Traceback investigations later indicated the virus may have already been present in Tasmania for two years.
Authorities have since determined that eradication is not feasible and have shifted their focus towards long-term management.
Tasmanian Certified Seed Potato Scheme (TasSeed) manager Doug Clark said testing results showed very low levels of detection within certified seed lines.
"When we tested all our certified lines last year, we only had a couple of hits – so overall, it's a very, very low percentage of all of the seed that was produced that was detected with mop-top," Clark said.
According to Clark, fresh market growers and processing potato operations currently face a low risk of encountering the virus.
"A grower who grows fresh market potatoes for the supermarket, for example, has a very, very low percentage chance that they've got it in that first instance," he said.
"For the hundreds of 1000s of tonnes of potatoes that Simplot or McCains process, it's only a chance if you pick it up."
Clark confirmed TasSeed would continue mop-top testing as part of its tuber testing program.
"I think we're going to be really unlucky if we find anything," he said.
"We have not seen any visual symptoms in the field, and that's consistent with what we've seen over the last few years."
Potato grower Stuart Applebee also said the virus had not affected operations.
"It's had no impact on any grower," Applebee said.
"No one is talking about it."
"It's gone completely quiet."
Grower Nathan Richardson shared a similar assessment.
"On the list of things to worry about with the potato industry, mop-top is well down the list," he said.
Source: Tasmanian Country
