​​​​​​​Public Consultation - Import Risk Analysis Potato Imports

​​​The consultation period for this draft Import Risk Analysis has now closed, the draft will now be finalised and published on the finalised Import Risk ​​Analyses​ web page.​​​​​

Biosecurity Tasmania has completed a Draft Import Risk Analysis for Potatoes entering Tasmania. Potatoes are the state’s highest value vegetable with Tasmania being the largest potato producer in Australia in 2020–21, accounting for 31.3% of national production. In recent years, potato production continues to be a mainstay for the vegetable processing sector in Tasmania with returns to potato growers pushing towards a quarter of a billion dollars annually.

Currently, all regulatory conditions applying to the import of potato tubers into Tasmania are detailed within Import Requirement 9 (IR9) of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania, administered under the Biosecurity Act 2019.

In response to trade movements of potato into Tasmania, Biosecurity Tasmania commenced development of the IRA in October 2020. Completion of this IRA represents the first plant ‘commodity level’ review of its kind undertaken by Biosecurity Tasmania.

Pest Risk Analysis​

The primary focus of this Draft Import Risk Analysis is to identify and assess the biosecurity risks posed by the domestic trade of potato tubers, whether seed potato, ware or processing potatoes. It assesses the movement of this stock across nine different entry pathway scenarios.

This Import Risk Analysis has reviewed 687 pests and diseases of potato. Of these pests and diseases, it was found that 7% of them (46 in total) were not considered to hold a legitimate association with potatoes as a host. This left a total of 641 pests and disease which were risk assessed through this Import Risk Analysis process.

The Import Risk Analysis for Potato is split into three Parts:

  • Part A: Risk Analysis and Risk Management

  • Part B: Pest Categorisation Risk Assessment

  • Part C: Pest Data Sheets and Stakeholder Comment

There are seven recommendations arising from this review of IR9 and the supporting Import Risk Analysis which are detailed in Part A.

 Draft Import Risk Analysis for Potato (PDF 5Mb)

 Draft Import Risk Analysis for Potato part B (PDF 6Mb)

 Draft Import Risk Analysis for Potato part C (PDF 2Mb)​

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