Home gardeners frustrated with ban on P.E.I. seed potatoes

The export ban on P.E.I. seed potatoes is leaving many house gardeners annoyed this spring. 

Backyard centres in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are unable to inventory most of the varieties that they often purchase from seed growers on Prince Edward Island. 

The ban has additionally minimize into the sale of seed potatoes by Veseys, a mail order enterprise based mostly on P.E.I. 

The ministerial order that was put in place by the Canadian Meals Inspection Company after the invention of potato wart in two Island fields final fall prohibits the export of seed potatoes to america.

They’re additionally banned domestically except they’ll meet a listing of rules set by the federal company. Most P.E.I. growers have stated they cannot meet these rules.

Barry Cudmore farms in Brackley Seaside, P.E.I., and has specialised for years in seed potatoes for the house backyard market, together with 23 backyard centres throughout the Maritimes, in addition to by means of Veseys.

“Properly, it is gone. That is the way it’s affected us. We can’t ship by means of Veseys or the shops,” Cudmore stated.

“Retailer managers are distraught, and the 1000’s of individuals that may present up at their doorways on the lookout for these potatoes are most likely much more distraught.” 

Cudmore stated he gave the shops a heads up in February that he may not be capable of ship to them due to the export ban.

He stated he has misplaced near $60,000 in gross sales, and worries about what’s going to occur if the ban continues. 

“We have truly picked up a retailer right here and there yearly, which is kind of a rising marketplace for us,” Cudmore stated. 

“That is squashed for the time being. So what occurs if it is not resolved by this winter or this fall? What ought to I be telling shops for subsequent yr? Two years not getting potatoes from me, I am positive I’ll lose some clients.”

CFIA rules

The Canadian Meals Inspection Company does permit the cargo of some seed potatoes, with sure situations. 

In an electronic mail to CBC, a spokesperson wrote: “The Ministerial Order regulates the motion of soil from PEI. This implies merchandise should be freed from soil or, if they cannot be freed from soil, further threat mitigation measures should be put in place. The CFIA has established standards which are based mostly on worldwide requirements to help with case-by-case analysis for the home motion of commodities related to soil. This established standards serves to forestall the additional unfold of potato wart.”

Cudmore stated he was not in a position to meet the standards set by CFIA, and would not suppose he’ll be capable of sooner or later. 

“For us to make the changes obligatory, I feel we would be shut out of the sport for a lot of years,” Cudmore stated.

“It might have made extra sense to me if this had been yr one going ahead, then we are able to regulate accordingly going ahead. I simply I discover it very irritating. Maddening.” 

Confused clients

On the Amherst Nation Retailer in Nova Scotia, supervisor Joshua Dixon is fielding a number of questions from clients. 

“Many of the clients that I’ve talked to, whether or not it was within the farm retailer, within the parking zone or on the backyard centre, the phrase that I hear most frequently developing is ‘ridiculous,'” Dixon stated.

“They can not see why only one or two small instances on the Island would have an effect on the export of seed inventory.”

Dixon stated he was in a position to supply some seed potatoes from a grower in New Brunswick, however remains to be lacking among the well-liked varieties that Cudmore offered, and that clients are asking for. 

“We’re very a lot hoping subsequent yr that we’re in a position to get again to the place we had been the previous couple of years, and begin ordering for Mr. Cudmore once more,” Dixon stated.

“As quickly as we’re allowed to begin bringing product over, we might begin bringing it over from him instantly.”

Misplaced gross sales

At Veseys Seeds in York, P.E.I, the export ban has additionally been having an influence.

“It has been a horrible inconvenience, in fact, as a result of we by no means knew the place issues stood,” stated John Barrett, the corporate’s director of gross sales, advertising and improvement.

“After we launch our catalogue in November, all merchandise are usually obtainable. Drawback was … there was nonetheless a ban on seed potatoes. So we needed to flip off all of these objects on our web site whereas we inspired our growers to succeed in out to CFIA to search out out what they needed to do with a view to meet their rules.”

Barrett stated only some growers had been in a position to meet these rules, and that approval got here late.

He stated that minimize in half what Veseys was in a position to provide its clients in kinds of seed potatoes. 

“The tip outcome was that, out of our 14 varieties, we had been solely in a position to get seven, and 6 of these seven varieties we weren’t in a position to get till fairly late into the season,” Barrett stated.

“We now have seven varieties with no gross sales, and 6 varieties whose gross sales are significantly decrease than regular due to the lateness.”

Barrett stated Veseys often sells about $250,000 yearly in seed potatoes, and this yr he predicts that will likely be down greater than 60 per cent.

He stated he additionally fears the long-term influence of the dearth of availability this spring. 

“We’re simply questioning, will they arrive again subsequent yr once we weren’t in a position to fill their necessities this yr?” Barrett stated. 

“Total, it has been irritating and, in fact, it is a income loss for the corporate too.” 

Barrett stated Veseys should determine by August what, if any, seed potatoes it should characteristic within the 2023 catalogue, which works to print in October.

“We do commit two pages [to seed potatoes] in our catalogue, which is a really costly publication to provide due to the quantity that we mail,” Barrett stated.

“If we’re unsure about whether or not or not we’re in a position to get a product, likelihood is that it may not make it into {the catalogue}, significantly if it’ll take up two full pages.”