The Department of Agriculture is showcasing Western Australia’s ‘clean and green’ image to a delegation visiting from Thailand this week.

The delegation is visiting Western Australia to inspect the high health status of local potato production systems.

Department plant health manager Shashi Sharma said Thailand was developing as an important market for Western Australia potato seed.

He said Australia currently supplied approximately 2000 tonnes of seed per annum, with a potential to supply up to 5,000 tonnes per year.

“While, only around 300 tonnes of seed currently comes from Western Australia, it is in a good position to be able to increase its seed supply to Thailand. Currently the majority of seed is exported from Victoria,” Dr Sharma said.

He said health and disease levels were always key issues with potato seed, as low disease was crucial to its productivity and quality.

“Western Australia has a good healthy environment for growing seed as the State is free of some of the most important and devastating diseases of potatoes worldwide including Late  Blight, Bacterial Wilt, Potato Virus Y and Potato Cyst Nematode,” Dr Sharma said.

“Another desirable feature of the Thai market is that it demands Atlantic seed for its processing growers, a variety also grown in Western Australia for processing.”

The Thailand delegation visiting Western Australia this week is made up of senior quarantine officials. Thailand has strict quarantine restrictions on the import of seed potatoes and hold ups to shipments have occurred previously, for example, from too much soil on the tubers.

“Dr Sharma said by visiting Western Australia, the officials can see first hand how good the State’s potato industry biosecurity and seed production system are and meet local growers, exporters and Department staff.”

The delegation will be in Western Australia from 17 to 21 January 2005 visiting the Department’s South Perth office and a number of potato producers and exporters in the south west.