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Speaking at the event, held in Harrogate yesterday, Colin Jeffries told attendees that the pest would also be incredibly difficult to eradicate if it did arrive in the country. A number of farming groups, including the NFU have warned about the threat in the past.  

Mr Jeffries did offer the assurance that, "The matter is being discussed in Europe this week and we may know more by the end of the week about what might be done." However, he offered the stark warning that, if the beetle did arrive, "It could cost the UK industry between £10m and £41m and would be impossible to eradicate."

Last year, an action plan was established to tackle the threat, after the pest, which had been a problem in the Americas, was discovered in Northern Spain. If the beetle, which burrows into potatoes, arrived in the UK, its most likely pathway would be through tubers with soil or plant debris attached.

In a statement, the NFU said it has been engaging lobbying and raising awareness in an attempt to prevent the beetle’s spread in the EU and UK, including pressing for emergency legislation.

An NFU spokesperson said, “The beetle can have a devastating effect on potato crops: adult beetles feed on foliage and the damage caused can depress yields and reduce tuber quality. Perhaps even more concerning are the effects from larvae feeding activity, which produce unsightly wavy furrow marks on the surface of the tubers. Clearly, this type of defect would not be acceptable within the UK supply chain.”

For more information on Epitrix beetles click here