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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority controlled if the declared varieties of autumn and early potatoes offered on the market are not replaced or mixed with other varieties of potatoes.

The specific variety of potato is if of crucial importance both for the quality and for the classification into cooking types determining position of potatoes on the market. The Food Law qualifies the non-compliance with declared origin of the sold varieties or the marketing of batches with admixture of different varieties as the act of practising deception on the consumers.

CAFIA took samples of 131 batches of consumer potatoes in the period between April and June. Replacement of varieties against the declared types or admixture of tubers of different varieties of potatoes were identified in 42 samples (32.1%).

In comparison with the year 2000 a smaller number of non-conformances was identified in autumn potatoes: admixtures of different potato varieties were detected in 7 samples out of 41 (i.e. 17.1%); the nonconforming batches in the previous year represented 53.8%.

In early potatoes, on the contrary, the inspectors identified increase in the number of nonconforming batches: out of 90 inspected samples admixture of different varieties or complete replacement of varieties of potatoes were identified in 35 samples (38.9%), as compared with the previous year when the nonconforming batches represented 33.8%.

The autumn potato varieties were controlled both in the wholesale stores and retail network of shops. While in wholesale stores all the samples, with only one exception, were identified as conforming, in the retail network of shops inspectors detected 21.4% cases of false declarations.

CAFIA controlled the early varieties of potatoes only in the premises of importers or in wholesale stores: 34.5% samples of imported potatoes and 42.4% samples of potatoes taken in wholesale stores did not comply with the valid legal regulations. In view of the situation on the market, inspections focused mainly on potatoes of the Italian origin (42.5% nonconforming samples), less on potatoes imported from Spain, Greece and Germany. Results of controls of those samples showed hardly any non-conformances.

It is evident from the results of controls performed up to now that the replacement of varieties of potatoes or their mixing occur frequently in the course of handling in wholesale stores and, especially, in retails shops, the most frequently when selling potatoes in bulk.

With respect to the seriousness of results of the controls, the CAFIA inspectors imposed penalties in the total value of almost 2.5 million Czech crowns.