News on The Potato Supply Chain from Oceania

The Australian Industry Association AUSVEG has published a Potato Growers’ Biosecurity Manual, a guide to farm biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of weeds, pests, and diseases impacting production.

A research project in New Zealand is determining if different field soils affect development of powdery scab on potatoes, and whether soil physical, chemical and/or biological characteristics influence this important potato disease.

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.

West Australia’s struggling potato industry is poised for recovery after the State Government chipped in nearly $750,000 (USD 580,000) towards expanding processing and exports.

Potato farmers could see Eastern States markets reopen in the near future which are still closed to WA following the tomato potato psyllid outbreak last year.

Villagers of the Districts of Yawe and Tavuki (in the province Kadavu, Fiji) heard that the government was promoting potato farming in a select few provinces of Fiji and that Kadavu was one of them.

​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.

Sabine Tanios es candidata a doctorado en Tasmania y trabaja en una investigación que trata de averiguar por qué y cómo las papas desarrollan esa coloración verdosa.

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.

Stocks of the potato chips are stretched thin as New Zealand battles a nationwide potato shortage after the wet winter. UPDATE: it turns grocery stores right now have NO shortage in stocks after all...

"Hacé que tu comida sea aburrida y tu vida será interesante", se lo escucha decir a Andrew Flinders Taylor en uno de los videos de Youtube en los que documentó su increíble transformación. El australiano se planteó un insólito desafío: comer durante todo un año solo papas. Es decir, comer papas todos los días. Papas, como su único alimento.

Raylea Rowbottom, a researcher of the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture says it's inevitable that the potato psyllid, a destructive insect that has threatened tomato and potato crops in Western Australia will make it to the east coast.

After 6 months building (and over 8 years in planning) Agronico has opened its new seed potato storage in Spreyton, Tasmania.

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.

JR Simplot has applied at FSANZ for approval to export genetically modified potato products into Australia and New Zealand. Unclear is what type of products this is about, but unprocessed potatoes can not be imported.

Plant Biosecurity CRC scientists have identified stable regions in the genome of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), which causes the serious disease Zebra Chip in potato and tomato crops. This research will provide new diagnostics that will significantly reduce uncertainty in biosecurity assessments.

West Australian potato growers want their potatoes back on dinner plates every day to help ease a massive glut. The advertising campaign - named Todatoes - began Saturday night with the start of a prime-time television advertising campaign.