Potato News from Oceania

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.

July 14, 2015

Bluebird Foods (New Zealand) is recalling batches of its Original Cut Potato Chips

Bluebird Foods (New Zealand) is recalling batches of its bags of potato chips after finding some may contain plastic pieces.

July 13, 2015

New potato peeler to make McCain's Timaru factory more efficient

McCain Foods has installed a new model potato peeler in Timaru, New Zealand. Timaru is the first of the company's factories in the world to use the new model.

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.

July 06, 2015

Simplot agreed to take surplus potatoes in Tasmania

This season, potato processor Simplot agreed to take surplus potatoes in Tasmania.

Major Potato growing areas in South Australia (Courtesy: mrpotatosa.com.au)

June 18, 2015

South Australia plans export of high quality crisping and seed potatoes to Thailand and Malaysia.

South Australia will actively pursue the Asian market for export of its crisping and seed potatoes.

June 14, 2015

Keynote Speakers National Horticulture Convention in Queensland, Australia

A Tasmanian potato grower - known for her innovative use of the vegetable - has been announced as a keynote speaker at this year's National Horticulture Convention in Queensland, later this month.

PreDicta Pt senior research officer Mike Rettke and Dr Kathy Ophel Keller at SARDI’s Molecular Diagnostics offices at the Plant Research Centre, Waite Campus.

May 21, 2015

Workshop to help South Australian growers prepare for potato pests

South Australian potato growers will have the opportunity to be updated on the latest research and development (R&D) including managing soil pathogens, pests and diseases at a special workshop to be held by AUSVEG in Murray Bridge next week.

May 20, 2015

Former McCain Foods Plant in Penola (Australia) gets new life as dairy processing facility

Former McCain Foods Plant in Penola (Australia) gets a new life as dairy processing facility

Men with the golden tongues: James Bond and Chris Murphy to talk economics at Australia`s top horticulture event

May 17, 2015

Men with the golden tongues: James Bond & Chris Murphy talk economics at Australia`s top horticulture event

Economics experts James Bond and Chris Murphy have been issued with a licence to thrill delegates at this year’s National Horticulture Convention, Trade Show and Awards for Excellence on the Gold Coast (Australia)

May 12, 2015

New Wyma Tipper Can Unload Both Bins and Bags

The new Wyma Bin and Bag Tipper gently tips fresh produce stored in bags, bins or boxes too heavy for manual unloading.

Colin Barnett, premier of Western Australia

April 20, 2015

Premier Western Australia: Potato Marketing Corporation will be abolished within two years

The Premier of Western Australia, Colin Bartlett, reportedly told The West Australian that it was time for rules that dictated the varieties, quantities and price of potatoes grown in Western Australia - and the Potato Marketing Corporation - to go.

Crop Rotation trial in New Zealand (Courtesy New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research)

April 16, 2015

Major new potato research project announced in New Zealand

Potatoes New Zealand Inc. has won funding from the Ministry of Primary Industries for a major research project aimed at improving crop yield, more specifically, the impact of crop rotations on soil borne diseases and soil quality.

Dr Andrew Geering (Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation; QAAFI)

April 15, 2015

Zebra Chip disease discovered on island between Australia and New Zealand

During a quarantine survey on Norfolk Island, a small island between New Zealand and Australia, both the tomato-potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) as well as the zebra chip causing bacterium Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso) have been detected.

Tony Galati at his new Innaloo store (Courtesy: Simon Santi/The West Australian).

April 09, 2015

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

Tony Galati, owner of the West 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.

Tony Galati has been battling the powerful potato regulator for the last 20 years (Source: News Corp Australia)

April 08, 2015

Legal action announced in Western Australia Potato War

The Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia has announced plans to take legal action against Galati, who owns a chain of grocery stores called the Spudshed as well as being one of the state’s largest growers.

Roshni Lata of Muanikoso shops for potatoes at a supermarket in Suva, Fiji. (Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU)

April 06, 2015

New potato varieties to improve Pacific food security

Almost 70 new varieties of potato and sweet potato will soon be available to Pacific Island countries and territories, to improve food security across the region.