Tasmanian Potato growers ask Simplot for a 4 percent price increase

Potato growers who supply Simplot Australia’s Ulverstone potato processing plant have put their case for a four per cent price increase for the 2010/11 growing season, the equivalent of another $13 a tonne.

Simplot has yet to respond to the growers’ proposal but has said it wants to conclude negotiations by August or September.

Scottsdale grower Trevor Hall, who is chairman of the TFGA committee that negotiates with Simplot on processed potatoes, said that while growers would have to wait for that response, Simplot had provided positive news.

“Simplot confirmed that it would maintain the same tonnage of potatoes as last year and it also made a positive commitment to processing potatoes at the Ulverstone factory into the future,” he said. “That in itself is really heartening.”