20 March 2025
 

The quality of seed potatoes is an important factor in determining crop yield, health and productivity.  Good quality seed potatoes allow for more production with less land, thus contributing to enhanced food security with reduced environmental impact.

During the 52nd session of UNECE’s Specialized Section on Standardization of Seed Potatoes (18–20 March 2025) in Geneva, delegates agreed on revisions to the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes (S-1), following a three-year review process. Initially adopted in 1961, the standard helps improve seed potato quality and safety worldwide, ensure fair competition and facilitate trade.

The review was led by the delegation of Finland and included the delegations of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority, Euroseeds, and Potato Certification Service South Africa. Their collaboration has ensured that the standard reflects the latest industry needs and best practices.

The revised standard will be presented for adoption by the UNECE Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards at its 80th session on 17-19 November 2025.

Why this update matters

The UNECE Standard S-1 sets a common terminology and minimum quality requirements for certifying high-quality seed potatoes for international trade.

It is used by government authorities, farmers, exporters, and buyers to ensure seed potatoes meet global standards. Clear, harmonized certification rules help buyers and sellers understand seed potato quality, reducing technical barriers. At present, this standard is the only international framework covering all key aspects of seed potato certification:

• Varietal identity and purity
• Traceability and disease control
• Pest prevention and quality checks
• Labelling and record-keeping

“This revised standard is a crucial tool for the global seed potato industry. By ensuring clear and consistent certification rules, we are helping producers, certifying agencies and traders ensure quality seed potatoes. In today’s trade environment, having a reliable framework like this is more valuable than ever,” noted Hanna Kortemaa, Chair of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Seed Potatoes and Director of the Plant Production Department at the Finnish Food Authority.

Key updates in the standard

The revised UNECE Standard S-1 includes:

• Improved certification process – a more transparent system to ensure that certified seed potatoes meet strict quality standards.
• Stronger disease and pest control measures through updated inspection rules to prevent the spread of diseases.
• Better traceability and labelling through clearer labelling and record-keeping requirements to help track seed potatoes across the supply chain.
• Alignment with global trade rules, including European and North American trade standards.

The future of seed potato trade

With global seed potato exports amounting to 1.1 billion USD or 1.7 million tons in 2023, UNECE plans to continue its work by focusing on helping countries apply the revised standard in their national systems.

For more details on UNECE guidance on seed potato certification and inspection, see the UNECE website.