Production begins in a laboratory

The production of healthy seed potato begins with completely disease-free test tube plantlets that are initially propageted in a laboratory, then in a greenhouse and finally in pre-basic seed fields. The entire production cycle takes four to five years. The actual seed potato for retail is produced by the SPK's contract farmers.

The seed lots produced are stored either in the SPK's central storage facility or in contract farmers' own smaller storage facilities. Seed potato is sorted, packaged and delivered to customers in the spring.

The official quality control of the production is carried out by the Finnish Food Authority. The most important factors in quality, however, are the farmers' and the SPK's comprehensive self monitoring systems.