Quality assurance in the potato industry

byBernhardt du Toit

(Chairperson – Prokon Board)

PROKON QUALITY ASSURANCE

• The advantages of a quality control system for the industry:

• Create consumer trust in the product• Create a real and reliable price mechanism• Build the image of the product• Assure healthy competition between suppliers• Assure credible information • Improvement of quality and better prices• Create and maintain a database for the industry

• These are not the only advantages. Prokon’s services have also been extended to various segments to keep to cost to the industry as low as possible.

EXTENTION OF SERVICES

Prokon service delivery

Trade inspections

Pack house training

PCSVirus

identificationUP

research support

Database

Training to traders

TRADE INSPECTIONS

• On behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prokon inspections have been extended to the trade and distribution depots.

(5 depots and 70-80 outlets per month)– Inspections and training on:

• Product regulations• Size groups• Cultivars• Marking requirements and traceability• Assist with product specifications

PACK HOUSE VISITS AND TRAINING

• Pack house visits to producers experiencing quality problems or requiring assistance with:

• Regulations• Marking requirements, etc.

• Pack house training for Potatoes South Africa i.r.o:• Quality• Use of colour plates • Size groups• Hygiene, etc. 

21 pack houses in 3 regions visited and 956 workers already trained. They have received attendance certificates.

STOCK COUNTS FOR APAC

• Stock counts – Looking after producers’ interest on markets.

• On average 7 markets per month• At all market agents• Product lines: Potatoes, onions, fruit and other       vegetables.

Monthly report‐back to APAC forevaluation and handling.Results:• Past year – 2  disciplinary hearings• 2 guilty verdicts (fines and expulsions) • A further 20 warnings to agencies

DATA COLLECTION

• Potato Necrotic Ring Spot

Country‐wide data and sample collection of necrotic races 

of PVY for Potato Certification Service (PCS).• Daily on all markets

• Details on region, producer and symptom expression are provided to PCS for further processing. 

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Supports the University of Pretoria with the collection of nematode infected tubers

• University identifies different species to be controlled for the protection of the producer

• There are already 14 different Meloidogyne spp identified in South Africa in the different regions with the assistance of Prokon.

PROKON DATABASE• All  information in respect of:

• Producers, regions, markets and nationally:

• Volumes

• Down grading 

• Size groups

• Marking requirements

• Quality differentiation per cultivar, etc

• Purpose and advantage:• Complete producer data base • Data easily made available • Withdrawal of information and statistics - daily/monthly/annually• Easy record keeping and traceability• PSA – value adding• Problems identified/solved• Disease trends – for further research

PROKON DATABASE

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

Junie Julie Aug Sept Okt

VergroenMeg.BeskAart.MotAalwurmInsek.Besk.BruinskurfMisformdNerflos.VbruinHolhartWATERANDER

O/MASSAMERK/VGRT/AF

PROKON INCOME FROM OTHER SERVICES

14% income from other services ±20% income from other services

2002/03 2007/08 2010/11

8% income from other services

80,6%

19,4%14%

92%

8%

SUPPORT IS REQUESTED

• Extension of income base i.r.o.

• Service delivery by Prokon for the potato industry’s total integrated food safety, quality assurance and traceability

• Cooperation with PSA and other fresh produce bodies

• Training:

– Pack houses

– Traders (formal and informal)

– New producers

PROKON BOARD

Directors 

Mr Bernhardt du Toit (Chairperson) PSA representative

Mr Garnet Leonard (Vice‐Chairperson) PSA representative 

Mr Johannes Tsotetsi IMSA

Mr Stanley de Lange IMASA

Ms Mina Gill  NAMC

Mr Etienne Booyens Managing Director

PROKONwww.prokonsa.co.za

Follow your dreams with passion, even if they sound impossible to reach, it doesn’t matter.Just the road towards your dreams is already worth it.

If you have a chance to choose between happiness and success,please choose happiness, because if you choose happiness most probablyyou will find success.

But if you choose success,it does not necessarily imply you’ll find happiness.

Thank you