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Potato industry Western Australia joins global campaign to raise the profile of the potato
Potatoes have typically been used in the home as a humble side to accompany a steak or roast chicken, but have you ever tried potato ice-cream? Chef Russell Blaikie says the texture of potatoes is like velvet. (Courtesy: Courtney Holloway / ABC News)
Amid falling demand and prices, the Western Australian potato industry has joined a global campaign to reinvent the spud, and industry leaders say some of the more obscure ways of working potatoes into meals are just the start.
Key points:
- The potato industry is under pressure from oversupply and falling prices
- The tough times have seen smaller producers leave the industry
- The industry says a marketing campaign will remind people about how versatile and nutritious potatoes are.
Chief executive of Potato Growers Association of WA Simon Moltoni said for WA in particular, which has been struggling with oversupply since deregulation in 2016, a reputation shift for the vegetable was needed.
Mr Moltoni:
“We have our existing 'Todatoes' campaign, and some of the ideas we've been getting from the international campaign, with some of their branding in particular, we'll be working into our campaign as well.”
"It's about reminding people about how versatile, nutritious and even sexy potatoes can be."
Back of supermarket, back of mind
According to figures from Hort Innovation Australia, total potato consumption has been declining at a rate of 1.6 per cent per year overall, but kept reasonably steady by the consumption of processed potatoes.
(Click to enlarge)
(Courtesy: Courtney Holloway / ABC News) ">
DPIRD's Mark Holland, wearing a potato tie, with WA Potato Growers chief executive Simon Moltoni. (Courtesy: Courtney Holloway / ABC News)
'All about the one percenters'
While the campaign was about marketing, the industry was aware that it was not the only thing that needed to be done to turn things around. Mr Ryan said, however, it was a positive step and one that he had a lot of hope in:
“It's not a silver bullet but we need all the help we can get"The industry is also working on increasing their export markets to help with oversupply.
"They say in football there's the one percenters and that's what we need, a lot of one percenters to come together"
"This is more than a one percenter but there's other things that are in the pipeline and all of them combined will help us move forward.”
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