Ireland: A rise in potato imports has resulted in the confiscation of Egyptian vegetables contaminated by the ’tuber moth’.

In 2024, poor harvests across Europe prompted a significant rise in potato imports. Among the shipments intercepted by Irish customs were potatoes from Egypt, part of hundreds of tonnes of food and plant products seized due to safety or regulatory concerns.

The confiscations included Egyptian potatoes, seeds from the UK, shellfish from India, and honey from China. Altogether, the Department of Agriculture reported a total seizure of 1,782 tonnes at Irish ports. The department oversees the enforcement of safety and compliance with European food import regulations.

This information was provided by the department in response to a parliamentary query from Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. They confirmed that Europe’s limited 2024 potato harvest and elevated global demand had boosted imports, including from Egypt. However, stricter controls were imposed on Egyptian potato imports due to numerous instances of noncompliance detected during European import inspections.

Several consignments of Egyptian potatoes arriving in Ireland were seized due to the presence of a quarantine pest, the potato tuber moth, which poses a significant risk to plant health.

Imports from the UK constituted the largest share of seized products, totaling 772 tonnes or 43% of all seizures. Among these, nearly 300 tonnes fell into the "oil, seeds, and oleaginous fruits" category. The department highlighted that most of these items were seized due to missing phytosanitary certificates required for seeds and plants intended for planting. Despite the large volume, officials noted that this reflects the high number of UK consignments inspected rather than a disproportionately high level of noncompliance specific to UK imports.

Indian food products accounted for nearly 106 tonnes of seizures, with 43 tonnes consisting of live crustaceans, primarily frozen shrimp or prawns. These products are subject to stringent EU safeguard controls, including frequent physical inspections and antibiotic testing. Rejections were often due to issues with traceability, tracking information errors, or problems with maintaining proper cold-chain storage.

Meanwhile, shipments from China contributed nearly 28 tonnes to the total seizures in 2024, including a single consignment of almost 23 tonnes of honey. The honey was seized because it failed to meet traceability standards.

Farrelly praised the diligence of department officials involved in these checks, describing their efforts as reassuring and a testament to the robust controls in place.