News on Potato Stats, Trade, Prices from Oceania

In Western Australia, a surveillance program to assess if the last year detected tomato potato psyllid (TPP) carries the zebrachip disease pathogen (CLso), did not identify a single case of the pest - with over 10.000 psyllids tested.

​More than 300 seed potato farmers across South Australia and Victoria will be celebrating after last week's breakthrough in securing new market access to Indonesia.

The price of potatoes in New Zealand has almost doubled in the last 10 years, according to Statistics New Zealand.

In Tasmania, Australia, surveillance programs for the tomato potato psyllid (TPP) are being ramped up as growers try to delay any incursion of the pest for as long as possible.

In Fiji, the Ministry of Agriculture is working closely with farmers around the country who are interested in potato farming. This year will be the first year farmers will be planting the locally obtained seeds.

For almost 50 years, Bernie White has grown potatoes in the rich, red, volcanic soil of Trentham, the traditional potato patch in Victoria, Australia. Now he doesn't know if his farm has a future.

Alan Parker looked out onto the farm business he had spent his entire life establishing. The West Australian seed potato grower will know in the next six weeks whether his lifelong career will continue.

Potato Psyllids, a destructive plant pest found for the first time in Australia in February cannot be eradicated, so the industry will seek to manage it, rather than destroy it, according to The Department of Food and Agriculture of West Australia.

Heavy rain, particularly in New South Wales (Australia), combined with a cold winter have led to a tight potato supply and high prices.

Australia is experiencing a potato shortage because of flood-effected potato crops in the southern states.

Western Australia's Parliament has cleared the way for full deregulation of the state's potato industry, passing legislation to abolish the controversial Potato Marketing Corporation (PMC).

Scottsdale farmers Jerrod and Susan Nichols are preparing to plant their 2016 spring crops, but say processing potatoes for McCain would not be in the mix unless prices lifted.

A significant rise in potato imports into Australia is forecast for 2016, sparking concern about the profitability and competitiveness of the Australian potato industry over the coming months.

Frozen French fry maker Simplot Australia has agreed to pay its Tasmanian potato suppliers 5 per cent more, phased in over the next three years.

Western Australia's potato industry will be deregulated in July and the highly restrictive Potato Marketing Corporation (PMC) abolished by the end of the year.

Australian vegetable grower body AUSVEG has applauded the decision of the Papua New Guinean Government to temporarily lift the ban on the import of selected Australian fruits and vegetables - including potatoes - for three months.

The Papua New Guinean Government has instituted a ban on the import of selected Australian fruits and vegetables, including potatoes, effective from 11 August 2015.

Fresh potatoes from New Zealand have been approved for export to Vietnam, providing a new export opportunity for growers.