Georgia bans import of Turkish potato due to potato cancer risks

Georgia is banning the import of potatoes from Turkey for a three-month period of time because of the danger of spreading potato cancer.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has already signed the order, which states that the purpose of the ban is to avoid the spread of potato cancer in Georgia.

Potato cancer is considered the most serious and devastating disease for the vegetable.

Synchytrium endobioticum is a chytrid fungus that causes the potato cancer disease. It also infects some other plants of the Solanum genus, though the potato is the only cultivated host.

If the soil is infected with a diseased potato, the soil cannot be used for 20 years.

Last year Georgia produced about 250,000 tonnes of potatoes and Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili said that "the demands of the Georgian population are fully satisfied with Georgian production. Thus we reduced dependence on import as the country has 100 percent self-sufficiency”.