Ware potatoes imported from Poland to Great Britain: update March 2026

• As published on the Plant Health Information Portal in March 2025, during import inspections at the UK border, Clavibacter sependonicus was found in several consignments of ware potatoes imported to the UK from Poland
• Following the findings and to maintain the United Kingdom’s biosecurity, the inspection rate increased from 50% frequency of inspection rate to 100% for ware potato consignments from Poland and were consequently held at the Border Control Point (BCP) until freedom from the disease was confirmed through latent sampling
• Between April 2025 and January 2026, there have been no further findings of Clavibacter sepedonicus on ware potatoes from Poland
• The UK Plant Health Service has worked closely with Poland’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) to gather further information regarding the infected consignments
• Poland’s NPPO has provided details of its investigation into the findings, a review of its procedures and the measures it has implemented to mitigate any further potential exports of infected materials
• The changes in procedures and measures have been reviewed and accepted by the UK Plant Health Service and the inspection regime has resumed to 50% frequency of inspection at the border and latent sampling of consignments, with the consignments permitted to move inland prior to receipt of laboratory results
• The UK Plant Health Service will continue to monitor based on import inspection data

As a reminder, anyone intending to import ware potatoes should refer to gov.uk for guidance at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-plants-and-plant-products-from-non-eu-countries-to-great-britain and contact APHA PHSI for any further clarification