Potato News from Oceania

AUSVEG has welcomed the announcement from Agriculture Minister David Littleproud that two key commitments are now realised under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), which will improve market access for Australian potato exporters into the Thai market.

Productivity has been the watch-word of the food production industry for decades, with millions of dollars spent on finding new ways to get more done within the same time and input.

In the race to decarbonise the economy, industrial processing is a tough nut to crack given the amount of heat needed to process goods.

Potatoes New Zealand is asking the New Zealand government to give urgent consideration to imposing short-term measures limiting the importation into New Zealand of heavily discounted frozen potato chips to avoid a food security threat.

Tasmanian potato growers, who produce the bulk of Australia’s French fries, are having a disastrous harvest. Months of wet weather is making it impossible to get onto paddocks in parts of the state.

AUSVEG, the peak industry body for Australia’s vegetable and potato growers, has welcomed McDonald’s commitment to display the country of origin of the ingredients in their products.

Raj Singh joins the team as Group Aftermarket & Services Manager.

Farmers are among New Zealand's essential workers, so farms and fields are remaining busy keeping food on Kiwis' plates. And despite panic-buying, there is no shortage. New Zealand could survive on potatoes alone.

AUSVEG and the Produce Marketing Association of Australia – New
Zealand (PMA-ANZ) have decided to postpone Hort Connections 2020, which was
due to be held from 15-17 June 2020 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Dutch potato storage specialist Tolsma-Grisnich has built a new storage facility for The Rakaia Hub Ltd in New Zealand.

Four of the largest potato producers in Australia want to convert 100% of their potato waste into commercial benefit through their partnership with the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).

In Australia, Smith’s has announced they’re releasing a new sweet potato chip and not everyone is convinced the unorthodox flavour will be a hit.

Adelaide, South Australia has been named as the host city for the 2023 World Potato Congress (WPC), the first time this event has been held in Australia. The announcement was made during Potatoes South Australia’s Annual Industry Dinner and Auction.

Backed overwhelmingly by industry, the Potato Growers Association of Western Australia (PGAWA) is moving forward to establish an export entity by May 2020.

Nadia & Alf Taylor, co-founders of tna, a leading food processing and packaging solutions provider located in Sydney, Australia, were presented with insignias commemorating their appointment as Members (AM) of the Order of Australia.

New Zealand supermarket chain Countdown says its biggest selling potatoes are white washed potatoes. Customers also prefer that their potatoes are locally grown

A long-awaited price increase has come for the state's McCain potato growers. Grower Beau Gooch said the $33 per tonne increase would help put profitability back in the paddock.

More than 80 potato growers in Tasmania, Australia felt a sense of relief when receiving Simplot's second offer for their processing potatoes, says Nathan Richardson, chairperson of the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association (TFGA) Vegetable Council.