Since its establishment in 1949, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards (WP.7) has developed over 120 commercial quality standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, seed potatoes, and meat. The standards provide a common trading language, enabling producers, and traders to operate confidently across borders.
Last month, the Working Party adopted revised standards for seed potatoes, table grapes, peas, pears, citrus fruit, inshell walnuts, prunes and ovine meat, according to a UNECE news release.
Seed potatoes: a revised global benchmark
A highlight of the session was the adoption of the revised UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes (S-1).
The quality of seed potatoes directly affects crop yield, health, and productivity. High-quality seed potatoes allow for increased production, contributing to food security and reduced environmental impact. In 2023, global seed potato exports reached USD 1.1 billion, totalling 1.7 million tons.
The adoption of the revised standard was the culmination of a three-year process, led by Finland and supported by experts from Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Euroseeds.
Originally adopted in 1961, the UNECE standard S-1 for seed potatoes is the only international framework covering all key aspects of seed potato certification. It sets common terminology and minimum quality requirements for varietal identity, traceability, disease control, pest prevention, and labelling.
Revised standard
The revised standard introduces:
- Improved certification processes for greater transparency and quality assurance.
- Stronger disease and pest control measures through updated inspection protocols.
- Enhanced traceability and labelling to support supply chain integrity.
- Alignment with global trade rules, including European and North American standards.
“This revised standard is a crucial tool for global trade in seed potatoes. By providing clear and consistent certification rules, we are helping producers, certifying agencies and traders ensure quality seed potatoes,” noted Hanna Kortemaa, Chair of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Seed Potatoes and Director of the Plant Production Department at the Finnish Food Authority.
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE). Read the full news release here
Image: Credit muh from Pixabay