Potato News from Australia

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

The South Australian Potato Industry has received funding of $100,000 to enable a project to add value to potatoes which are graded-out due to size or shape and do not meet supermarket specifications.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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)

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.

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.

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.

Potatoes continue to be seen as an important staple for Australians according to the latest wave of the Potato Tracker project, with survey respondents indicating that they consume the commodity an average of 14 times per month.

A shopper has been horrified to find a snake curled up in a sealed bag of potatoes bought from Woolworths.

AUSVEG has welcomed the signing of a work and holiday Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian and Vietnamese governments, which could assist Australian vegetable and potato growers fill labour shortages during peak harvesting times.