Tyrnävä fire destroys 4.2 million kilograms of seed potatoes

A major fire in Tyrnävä, Finland, destroyed four industrial halls at Rahkon maatila, resulting in the loss of 4.2 million kilograms of seed potatoes and a potato sorting line. This quantity represents approximately 15 to 20 percent of Finland’s total seed potato production and about one-third of the HZPC Kantaperuna stock.

Hanna Kortemaa, head of plant production at the Finnish Food Authority, stated that the loss is significant and could impact the availability of seed potatoes for several years. While the destruction is expected to cause shortages for producers and impact exports, experts suggest that the availability and price of food potatoes for consumers should remain stable.

The Finnish Food Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry have held discussions regarding the fire’s implications for national food security. The loss comes at a time when Central European harvests have been weak and Finnish harvests have faced challenges due to rainfall.