The European potato breeding, seed production, and marketing sector is increasingly concerned about growing trade disruptions between the EU and Türkiye.
In recent months, Turkish authorities have rejected over 5,500 tonnes of seed potatoes from EU Member States and the UK — roughly 20% of total EU exports to Türkiye — citing pest detections at import. These pests were not identified during rigorous pre-export testing, which had confirmed the shipments were pest-free and compliant with international phytosanitary standards, according to a press release.
These rejections are causing major financial losses, disrupting established trade flows, and creating serious logistical challenges across the value chain. More broadly, they undermine trust in the alignment and reliability of EU and Turkish phytosanitary certification systems.
The sector urges both the EU and Türkiye to resolve the issue through constructive dialogue aimed at restoring science-based, mutually recognized phytosanitary practices to ensure the smooth trade of seed potatoes and support agricultural stability.
