POTATO EXPORT SEASON LAUNCHED

POTATO EXPORT SEASON LAUNCHED

This morning the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon Ninu Zammit, launched the potato export season for this year at the Potato Grading Station in Ta' Qali. Farmers today started to deliver their product to this station where it is inspected for size and quality prior to its being exported in refrigerated containers to Holland.

The variety that is starting this year's export is the Sant'� variety. Minister Zammit explained that following last year's success with the trial export of this variety, which fetched a record net price for farmers of LM14.20 per qantar, arrangements were made with the Dutch importer for more of this variety to be included in this year's export. In fact, 2,000 tonnes are to be exported this year prior to the 5,000 tonnes of the Alpha variety that reaches maturity later.

Minister Zammit explained the advantages of the Sant'� variety; it is a hardier variety being more resistant to disease, as well as being of an earlier cropping date. This is of key importance since earlier cropping means that it reaches the market earlier, getting a better price for the local farmer.

The first consignment of these potatoes are expected to leave Malta this coming Sunday and a total of 7,000 tonnes is expected to be exported of both varieties. The first bag of Maltese potatoes that are so popular in Dutch households, will be presented to the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, at The Hague, by Minister Ninu Zammit on the 4^th April. This traditional ceremony of the handing over of the first bag attracts the attention of the Dutch Media and is given a lot of local publicity. Such exposure is extremely beneficial both to the marketing of the product, as well as in terms of promotion of Malta with the Dutch public as a tourist market. Minister Zammit ended by saying that this is another aspect of the multifunctional aspect of agriculture, where besides directly contributing to the economy, it is also assisting the tourism industry by helping in the publicity for the industry.

22.03.2000