West Australian Potato Grower Galati digs in for export-quota fight

Tony Galati, owner of the Westerrn Australian Produce Chain "Spud Shed", wants to add up to four extra stores to his existing Spud Shed network over the next few years and is working on opening up export markets for Western Australia potatoes.

Mr Galati has one store earmarked for Bunbury and he is considering sites in Perth's northern suburbs and Midland for two of the others.

Meanwhile, his sons Frankie and Sebastian were in South Korea this week for talks on exporting potatoes.

Mr Galati said that in recent weeks he had talks with interests in Singapore and Malaysia who wanted to import potatoes.

The export trade is not subject to the same rules and production quotas that apply under WA's heavily regulated domestic industry. As part of his plans for domestic expansion, Mr Galati said he wanted the Government to allow him to grow an extra 2000 tonnes of potatoes a year for the WA market.

"We are not asking for the world. All we want is an extra 2000 tonnes a year to support our expansion," he said.

Mr Galati said the additional tonnes would take his production up to about 8000 tonnes a year.

The request comes with Mr Galati and WA's industry regulator locked in talks aimed at averting a legal battle over allegations he has deliberately over-planted at the expense of smaller growers.