Chile (La Araucaria): Regulations updated to strengthen potato seed production
Farmers will be able to increase the potential of their sector, which for many rural families in the region constitutes their sole source of income.
The Agricultural and Livestock Service of La Araucanía met with various stakeholders in the potato industry to invite them to learn about and participate in the current public consultation on the update of the "Resolution establishing the requirements and obligations for the production and marketing of standard potato seed."
The director of SAG Araucanía, Ruth Arévalo, together with the regional secretary of Agriculture, Héctor Cumilaf, and the director of INIA Carillanca, Claudia Osorio, met with producers to inform them of the institutionally proposed regulatory changes and to encourage their participation in the public consultation, contributing their experiences and observations that will contribute to promoting the establishment of standard potato seedbeds.
“The potato industry is an important productive activity in our region, which is why the SAG, through a public consultation, is updating the requirements for standard potato seedbeds. We want regulations that are up to date, and therefore we need the opinions and concerns of all farmers dedicated to potato seed production in La Araucanía,” explained the Regional Secretary of Agriculture, Héctor Cumilaf.
The call is to become informed and participate in the consultation, strengthening the maintenance of the Potato Quarantine Pest-Free Area and taking advantage of the legal benefit of being part of the country’s potato seed zone, thus increasing the potential of this crop, which for many rural families in the region constitutes their sole source of income.
Promote management
The consultation, available on the SAG website and ending on March 31, 2025, proposes introducing measures that promote phytosanitary management and traceability of common potato seeds, in addition to strengthening and standardizing the technical capabilities of potato seed producers in accordance with current regulations.
For his part, the regional coordinator of the Potato Health Program, Isaul Saavedra, emphasized that this draft resolution, which establishes the requirements and obligations for the production and marketing of standard potato seed, seeks to gradually promote and strengthen the process of producing standard seed toward higher-quality seed, helping standard seed producers have better tools for the phytosanitary management of their crops.
One of the points of the new proposal that caught the attention of producers was the registration of standard seed potato producers and their responsibilities, as registration requires a technical representative with an approved SAG course. Within this framework, the regional coordinator of the Potato Health program clarified that the technical representative can be an external representative or the farmer themselves, strengthening the work of standard seed potato producers, who are mostly family farmers. This regulation recognizes their experiences and strengthens new production capacities.
Tolerances and costs
Regarding the virus tolerances and varietal purity of this common seed, a point that generated the greatest concern in the paper industry under previous proposals, no modifications to tolerances are considered for this update. Any adjustments in this area will be evaluated within three years of its entry into force.
Regarding the increased costs associated with new requirements, whether for laboratory analysis or a technical advisor, the proposal does not address these issues and instead proposes strengthening producers’ capacities through a mandatory, free course recognized by the SAG.
The changes regarding the traceability of seed production, necessary to improve its quality, will be gradual, considering that the resolution is scheduled to take effect in 2026.
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