S.I. No. 637/2001 - Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Regulations, 2001

I, Joe Walsh, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 5 of the Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Act, 1984 (No. 25 of 1984), hereby make the following Regulations:

1.       These Regulations may be cited as the Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Regulations, 2001.

2.       The Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Regulations, 1985, are hereby revoked.

3.       In these Regulations -

“Lot” means a homogenous quantity of seed potatoes produced by one grower and consisting of one variety and one class,

“Class” means the class displayed on the official label accompanying a lot acquired for planting,

“Growers number” means the growers number displayed on the official label accompanying a lot acquired for planting,

“Official label” means a plant passport label issued by a responsible official body of a Member State in accordance with the requirements of EU Council Directive 2000/29/EC.

4.       An applicant to be registered in the Register of Potato Growers and Potato Packers shall specify -

(a) whether the applicant is a grower of potatoes or a packer of potatoes or both, and,

(b) in the case of a grower, the area of each variety of potatoes planted by the grower in the year in which the application for registration is made.

5.       (1)       Every registered grower, including every registered grower who packs potatoes grown by the registered grower, shall keep a record of -

(a)    the date, quantity and variety of each lot acquired for planting;

(b)    the class, the growers number and the country of production displayed on the official label accompanying the lot referred to in paragraph (a) of this Regulation;

(c)    the varieties of potatoes planted by the registered grower and the area planted with each variety;

(d)    the yield from the area referred to in paragraph (c) of this Regulation in respect of each variety planted;

(e)    for each sale of potatoes by the registered grower, the quantity and variety of potatoes sold;

(f)     the date of each sale referred to in paragraph (e) of this Regulation;

(g)    the names and addresses of persons to whom potatoes are sold by the registered grower in the course of business other than for consumption by the buyer;

and shall supply the Minister with such information from that record as he may request from time to time.

(2)       A person who contravenes a requirement of this Regulation shall be guilty of an offence.

6.       (1)       Every registered packer shall keep a record of -

(a)    the quantity of each variety of potatoes packed by the registered packer each day;

(b)    the quantity and variety of potatoes involved in each purchase and sale of potatoes by the registered packer;

(c)    the date of each transaction referred to in paragraph (b) of this Regulation;

(d)    the names and addresses of persons from whom potatoes are bought by the registered packer and to whom potatoes are sold by the registered packer in the course of business other than for consumption by the buyer;

(e)   whether potatoes bought by the registered packer had already been packed;

and shall supply the Minister with such information from that record as he may request from time to time.

(2)       A person who contravenes a requirement of this Regulation shall be guilty of an offence.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

These Regulations replace the Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Regulations, 1985, and prescribe certain additional information, relating to seed potatoes acquired for planting, which must be included in records kept by registered potato growers.