Brown rot disease mars export prospects of Indian potatoes

With the Russian phytosanitary services cracking down on potatoes from Egypt, it could have been a blessing in disguise for Indian exporters had it not for the brown bacterial rot disease.

Early April, while the quarantine phytosanitary control of two potato consignments weighing 57 tonnes imported from India was on, the bacterial rot ( Ralstonia solanacearum Yabuuchi ) was noticed.

According to information available to BusinessLine , there were nine cases in 2011 and 23 cases in 2014 when brown rot was detected in plant products imported from India.

Brown bacterial rot in potatoes is dangerous, says a statement from Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance. Also called bacterial wilt, Brown rot affects the potato plant’s vascular system and systemically spreads to progency, causing the vascular ring of infected potatoes to go brown, starting from the heel end.

This eventually leads to the whole tuber turning brown and rotten. Sources said that the agency has brought the issue to the notice of Ministry of Agriculture here, and necessary steps are being taken to respond to Russia’s concerns. If weather conditions are favourable for the development of the disease in Russia, the yield of some crops could slump by 50 per cent, the official surveillance agency has said.

Potato disease Based on the assessments of the specialists from the Russian Agricultural Academy, the potential losses from the possible introduction of brown rot to Russia could be more than 50 billion rubles a year.

If stored incorrectly, a potato affected by brown rot could decimate entire consignments and could cause losses accounting for over 40 per cent, the agency has noted.

They have pointed out that an outbreak of this kind will also threaten tomatoes, apart from potatoes in Russia’s southern regions.

India’s exports

The agency has held that it reserves the right to impose temporary restrictions on the import of Indian potatoes. Exports of potato from India jumped from 1,93,085.84 tonnes in 2011-12 valued at ₹133.45 crore, to 2,20,926.10 tonnes in 2013-14 valued at ₹251.14 crore, according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).

Nepal, Sri Lanka and Russia were the top three importers.

While exports to Nepal accounted for 1,48,343.22 tonnes valued at ₹105.49 crore in 2013-14, exports to Sri Lanka were 24,652.49 tonnes valued at ₹50.05 crore during the same period. India exported 9,826.08 tonnes of potato to Russia in 2013-14, valued at ₹18.23 crore.

Egypt case Even in the case of Egypt, sources indicated that frequent violations of regulation with regards to quarantine have resulted in the temporary ban.

Russian phytosanitary services had detected brown rot bacteria and golden cyst nematode in Egyptian potatoes.

Imports of Egyptian potatoes to Russia had exceeded 3,00,000 tonnes.

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