Breeders Trust Flags Illegal Seed Potato Sales in Online Marketplaces
Breeders Trust is monitoring online sales of seed potatoes, highlighting growing cases of illegal trade via Facebook groups and webshops. Uncertified seed and misuse of ware potatoes raise plant breedersтАЩ rights concerns and phytosanitary risks. The organisation urges stronger awareness, enforcement, and compliance to protect innovation and ensure fair practices across the potato sector. The post Breeders Trust Flags Illegal Seed Potato Sales in Online Marketplaces appeared first on Seed World .
Breeders Trust, an organization dedicated to safeguarding plant breeders' rights, has recently flagged the growing issue of illegal seed potato sales on online marketplaces. Through monitoring various online platforms, including Facebook groups and webshops, the organization has identified several cases where uncertified seed potatoes and misused ware potatoes are being traded. These practices raise concerns not only about the violation of intellectual property rights but also about potential phytosanitary risks to the potato sector.
In recent years, Facebook groups have emerged as active marketplaces for agricultural equipment, crates, ware potatoes, and seed potatoes. Many of these groups are closed, making it challenging to assess the extent and nature of the trade taking place. A concerning trend observed by Breeders Trust is the advertising of consumption potatoes for use as seed potatoes. Additionally, small packs of seed potatoes, typically ranging from 1 to 2.5 kilograms, are often sold in uncertified bags, violating current regulations.
Corn├й van Beers, director of Breeders Trust, has expressed concerns about the sale of batches of potatoes to potato growers for seed purposes without the permission of the plant breeders' rights holder. Such incidents highlight the necessity of monitoring online activities to enforce plant breeders' rights effectively.
One notable case involved ware potatoes being offered for sale on an online platform with the intention of using them as seed potatoes. Through court mediation, a settlement was reached with the grower involved. Breeders Trust represented the rights holder whose protected variety had been advertised without permission. The grower initially struggled to understand that merely offering the potatoes for sale constituted an infringement of plant breeders' rights, even though none of the batch was sold.
Breeders Trust has successfully intervened in several instances, leading to the removal of advertisements from online platforms. In some cases, growers utilizing these platforms demonstrate a limited understanding of what constitutes permissible and non-permissible use of seed potatoes.
The organization urges greater awareness, enforcement, and compliance across the potato sector to protect intellectual property and ensure fair practices. By addressing these issues, Breeders Trust aims to safeguard the innovations of plant breeders and maintain the integrity of the potato industry. As online marketplaces continue to grow in popularity, it is crucial for all stakeholders to remain vigilant and proactive in combating illegal seed potato sales and related violations.
