News on The Potato Supply Chain from Australia

May 24, 2016

Tasmanian Potato Growers agree three year contract with Simplot

Frozen French fry maker Simplot Australia has agreed to pay its Tasmanian potato suppliers 5 per cent more, phased in over the next three years.

How could a company with 23 per cent of Australia's AU$625 million potato market go bust?

May 22, 2016

Oakville Produce: How can a company supplying 23 percent of Australia's potato market go bankrupt?

After Oakville Produce (formerly known as the Moraitis Group) entered receivership earlier this month, questions arise how that could happen to a company good for almost a quarter of the Australian Potato market.

April 15, 2016

South Australian Farmers introduce the Gourmandine variety - exclusively at Coles

The Mitolo family will be the first Australian farmers to produce Europe’s popular potato variety, the Gourmandine.

April 14, 2016

Potato Industry Western Australia to be deregulated from July; Potato Marketing Corporation abolished

Western Australia's potato industry will be deregulated in July and the highly restrictive Potato Marketing Corporation (PMC) abolished by the end of the year.

March 23, 2016

Victorian Potato Growers Council rebranded Potatoes Victoria

Potatoes Victoria is being launched today to replace the previous Victorian Potato Growers Council. A division of the Victorian Farmers Federation, Potatoes Victoria has been representing Victorian potato growers for more than 20 years.

March 06, 2016

West Australian potato farmers demand deregulation date as concern grows over uncertainty

Potato growers say the West Australian industry has 'collapsed' amid speculation over the timeline for deregulation.

March 01, 2016

Research to guard natural potato psyllid pathways into Australia

Australian Researchers are working closely with the country's potato industry to investigate the potential for the highly destructive Tomato-potato psyllid (TPP) to enter Australia using natural pathways.

February 03, 2016

Research in Australia to help potato growers and industry

The impact of drought and water quality on Australian potatoes could be significantly reduced by a new research project from Potatoes South Australia and Landmark Australia.

Australian Potato Farmers reminded to watch out for late blight - but no aggressive strains detected in the country

January 17, 2016

Australian Potato Farmers reminded to watch out for late blight - but no aggressive strains have been detected

Australian potato growers are being reminded to prepare for late blight, a potato disease that strikes when conditions are humid, stagnant and warm.

November 05, 2015

Potato packers missing out on sales by not listing potato variety or best before date?

Providing Australian consumers with more information on the package such as the potato variety and their uses would encourage them to buy more potatoes, according to the latest wave of Potato Tracker research.

Australian farmers breed purple potato with the right colour ánd taste

September 20, 2015

Australian farmers breed purple potato with the ideal colour ánd taste

Australian potato breeders Peter and Sandra Scott believe they bred the purple potato with the ideal colour and taste

September 03, 2015

Australian Consumer Research Potato-Tracker wave 10 available

Potatoes are becoming more appealing to Australia’s innovative home chefs ('Eager Explorers') who are searching for the next exciting food trend, according to new consumer research.

August 10, 2015

Australian consumers favour pre-packaged potatoes in a small bag

Consumer research in Australia, Potato Tracker, has shown that Australian consumers prefer to purchase pre-packaged potatoes, with one to two kilogram packages as the ideal sizes.

July 22, 2015

Tasmanian specialist potato grower exports as far as Dubai

Tasmania's fresh potato growers are building mainstream markets for unusual potatoes, all the way to Dubai.

July 16, 2015

One Third of Aussies can't name a single Potato Variety

It appears that many Australians don’t know their King Edwards from their Kennebecs, with the latest wave of the Potato Tracker consumer research project indicating that some people can’t name a single variety of potato, despite being the most commonly purchased vegetable commodity.

Yum Tasmania Gourmet potatoes. Purple Bliss is the darkest coloured potato on the right

July 15, 2015

Australia: Purple Bliss potato could become family favourite

The new ‘purple bliss’ potato (grown in Tasmania and bred in Idaho) could become a family favourite now that it has begun producing commercial quantities, and 20 tonnes are making their way to supermarket shelves.

Australian potato grower Tony Cummaudo of Cummaudo Farms

July 09, 2015

Australian potato grower calls for group effort in marketing of potatoes

The potato industry within Australia needs to come together to develop a plan and make potatoes appealing again from a marketing perspective, to solve the oversupply issues plaguing the industry. That is the message from grower Tony Cummaudo, of Cummaudo Farms.

July 08, 2015

McCain Foods Australia to invest $10 million in Smithton plant (Tasmania)

McCain Foods Australia/New Zealand will spend up to $10 million dollars over the next two years upgrading onsite storage facilities and building a new packing line at the Smithton plant in Circular Head, Northern Tasmania.