Potato News from Australia

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.

Australian shoppers can expect grocery prices to keep coming down as Coles and Woolworths battle it out to prevent more Australians defecting to Aldi, one retail expert has predicted.

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

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.

tna, a leading food processing and packaging solutions provider, recently announced the appointment of Magdy El Dessouky to the position of general manager for Australia.

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.

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

Heat and Control has helped a snack manufacturer take processing capabilities to a new level with another delivery of the
company’s innovative vacuum fryer technology, the Unitized Vacuum Fryer (UVF)

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.

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

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.

Smith's Snackfood Company said it will close the its chip manufacturing plant in Canning Vale (Western Australia) next year.

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

Packaging and processing solutions provider, tna, is pleased to announce the appointment of John van Duin as its new group solutions manager – processing for Asia Pacific.

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.

UK chip brand, Tyrrells Potato Crisps Ltd, has acquired the Australian company Yarra Valley Snack Foods, producer of the Thomas Chipman Organic Chips range.

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.