McCain Ballarat Potato growers hope for a better potato season

Fourth-generation potato farmer Dominic Prendergast is hoping for a better potato season than last year.

At the beginning of this year he led a group of Ballarat growers in a successful protest for better prices against global food giant McCain.

In March the 41 contracted McCain growers protested after their negotiations for the 2010-11 price hit a stalemate after almost a year of negotiations.

But its a different story this year, negotiations for the 2011-12 season were wrapped up in April with McCain offering the Ballarat growers a $15 a tonne increase to $315/tonne.

"It worked in both our favours to get the price settled early before you get sowing, for us we wouldn't be negotiating price when we are busy,"Dominic said.