Taste drives demand for Hawkesbury organic potatoes

In New South Wales, Australia, Matt Simmons can barely keep up with demand for the organic potatoes he and wife Sue grow on their 48-hectare farm on the Hawkesbury River.

The farm at Ebenezer, Swallow Hill Organics, was certified organic about a year ago after going through a three-year "conversion"process that allows any pesticides and herbicides that might be lingering in the soil to dissipate.

"Getting certified is a reasonably long process but it's not a difficult process,"Mr Simmons said.

Mr Simmons said getting his potatoes certified by Biological Farmers of Australia was worthwhile, making it easier to sell to restaurants and to attract the "diehard"organic buyers who buy direct from him at farmers' markets.

But the farmer said many of his customers like the products simply because they taste good.