Ballarat Potato farmers, McCain Foods reach agreement

Ballarat region potato growers and McCain Foods have reached an agreement a short time ago, offering growers about $305 a tonne for their potatoes.

The Ballarat McCain Growers Group met with the company this afternoon for further negotiations.

The committee emerged to give growers the outcome, which was about $305 a tonne for their potatoes.

While some growers were not completely happy with the offer, being short of the $310 a tonne they asked for, all 43 growing families took part in a secret ballot to vote on the offer.

The offer is part of an eight-point position put forward by McCain, which says the company and growers must reform the whole industry to ensure its long-term sustainability.

They will also set up a working group, similar to groups already set up in the Tasmanian and South Australian potato growing regions.

The potato farmers have ended their blockade of the factory