Potato News from Oceania

McCain Foods will close its Timaru vegetable plant, affecting 30 jobs. The company announced this morning it will close its small vegetable plant in early November, which is adjacent to the larger French fry facility. McCain Foods employs 240 staff a...

Scientists from Crop and Food Lincoln are cooperating with research organisations in Christchurch’s Friendship city of Wuhan, China, to develop potatoes with superior qualities including resistance to cold-induced sweetening. Professor Tony Conner, a...

The NZX looks set to have another bite taken out of it as potato products maker Mr Chips faces the prospect of a takeover. Food manufacturer Simplot Australia intends to delist Mr Chips if its takeover offer is successful. Majority shareholder Sincla...

Mr Chips, a New Zealand maker of french fries and processed vegetables, advised shareholders not to sell their shares because Simplot Australia Pty plans to make an offer for the company. The offer will be at a substantial premium to the last sale pri...

Thrilled by the potential the free trade agreement with China brings, potato chip-maker Steven Wong of Fresher Foods is spending $2.8 million on new machinery to double his factory's production. "The free trade agreement opens up an almost unlim...

The soil is deep, red and rich in Gippsland's famous potato country. Despite the drought there's water in the dams and the creeks still flow. This region, in the hills above Warragul, is so famous for its potatoes that a coach load of tourists has trav...

The Victorian potato industry is struggling because of the heatwave. This year's potato crop was expected to be successful after a good start, but the recent hot weather has dried up irrigation sources. Norm Suckling, a potato farmer from Mollongghip ...

New research has found some potatoes make healthier fries than others because they absorb less fat. Takeaway shops are now being encouraged to follow new healthy cooking guidelines, but it doesn't stop there. Using a different potato could reduce f...

The Chip Group has achieved a world first with the launch of a set of industry standards aimed at helping independent chip shop operators to make takeaway chips (French fries) healthier. Details of ‘The New Zealand Standards for Deep Fried Chips in In...

The International Year of the Potato has got off to a bad start for local potato growers, with yields well down due to a cold spring and dry summer. Potato Product Group chairman Terry Olsen said crops already harvested this year have had far lighter ...

In Australia, a country with 21 million people, an average of 1.2 million Australians a day walked through the golden arches in 2007. The McDoanld's franchise, which has 762 restaurants across Australia, notched double-digit growth over the calendar ...

Vegetable processor Simplot Australia will import a third of its potatoes this year, more than it has ever had to before. Concerns over water shortages in Tasmania meant that not enough farmers were able to sign contracts to supply potatoes to Simplot...

Papua New Guinea’s K50 million (US$17 million) potato industry is expected to bounce back this year after it was hit by the potato late blight disease (PLB).

 new study of Australians' fast food eating habits is raising the question: should more be done to promote so-called "healthier"fast food options, instead of trying to prevent people from eating fast food altogether?   Emily Brindal, a Univer...

In CY 2006, Australia produced 1,255 TMT of potatoes from 35,485 hectares, suggesting an average yield per hectare of 35.4 MT. Recently industry restructure and drought has resulted in a potato trade deficit, with growth in imports outstripping exports...

Allan Parker, President of World Potato Congress Inc., announced today that Christchurch has been selected as the site of the 7th International World Potato Congress to be held in March 2009. It’s the first time the Congress will be held in the South...

The Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Jacinta Allan, today announced a $635,474 Brumby Government grant for a Central Highlands Water project which will help McCain Foods Australia/New Zealand reduce its potable water use by a further 15 per cent.

The western Victorian regional city of Ballarat (population: 88,000) would not be the first city that would spring to mind when considering likely locations for the Australian headquarters of a global company.