ISLAND authorities have had to step in to protect the purity of the Jersey Royal potato after a farmer imported seed from England.
Doug Richardson imported 20 tonnes of international kidney potato seed from the UK last week because he said he could not find enough locally. He says the stock was genetically identical to the Royal. But the Environment Department have told him that as Jersey Royals are protected by EU law he cannot plant the UK seed in his fields. Like Champagne, Jersey’s unique potatoes are a Product of Defined Origin (PDO) which means that although they can be produced in the UK they cannot be sold as Jersey Royals. Mr Richardson said that because the two types of seed are genetically identical he had not believed there was a problem but has now accepted his mistake.
Article posted on 15th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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