Alberta Seed Potatoes
Alberta is the largest exporter of seed potatoes in Canada and is internationally renowned for its high quality.
Long summer days, cool nights and a large, available land base in isolated geographic areas have resulted in Alberta seed that is characterized by increased vigor, high quality, high yields, lower disease and pest problems.
Alberta seed producers are regulated under the Canadian Seeds Act and are inspected and certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Canada’s strict national program ensures only seed potatoes meeting the requirements receive certification and are marketed domestically and internationally. Each growing season includes two field inspections, as well as shipping inspections on each seed lot. Established seed growers also submit samples for the post-harvest test grow-out, inspected by CFIA inspectors, as well as, additional testing to ensure Alberta seed meets the high standards it has become known for.
| Between the PGA, government and industry, there is a demonstrated commitment to improving the genetics of potato varieties grown in Alberta. Our province is one of the few in Canada with privatized high generation lab and greenhouse production. All laboratories operate under the guidelines of the Canadian Seed Act and are CFIA approved and inspected. On-farm greenhouses receive potato plantlets from the tissue culture bank operated by the provincial government. The provincial seed potato repository houses more than 200 public and private potato varieties. |  |
To secure new markets and grow existing ones, Alberta seed growers use the latest innovations and techniques to stay on the cutting edge of seed potato production. In addition to our national biosecurity program, growers employ strict sanitation, post-harvest testing and crop rotation practices.
Approximately 54% of the province's seed potatoes are used by Alberta farmers, 20% is sold interprovincially, and the remaining 26% are exported to the US. Transporting this large volume of potatoes by truck and over long distances is feasible because of the seed potatoes high value and Alberta's strong infrastructure.
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