News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Oceania

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.

In New Zealand, produce company T&G is launching a new brand of low carb potatoes with the memorable name 'Lotatoes'.

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 Experts from New Zealand predict a bright future for a new potato variety, marketed as 'White Beauty' (cultivar name ‘Crop39’). White Beauty will be commercially available to growers through Morgan Laurenson Ltd from 2017.

Australia's food regulator has called for submissions as it reviews a genetically-modified potato designed to produce less chemicals when fried.

Kangaroo Island (South Australia) potato producer Peter Cooper has been named the 2016 Rabobank Potatoes South Australia and Ruralco Industry Award winner.

On Fiji, planting season for potatoes has begun in the Western division.

The Mitolo family will be the first Australian farmers to produce Europe’s popular potato variety, the Gourmandine.

Australian potato breeders Peter and Sandra Scott believe they bred the purple potato with the ideal colour and taste

Tasmania's fresh potato growers are building mainstream markets for unusual potatoes, all the way to Dubai.

It appears that many Australians don’t know their King Edwards from their Kennebecs, with the latest wave of the Potato Tracker consumer research project indicating that some people can’t name a single variety of potato, despite being the most commonly purchased vegetable commodity.

The new ‘purple bliss’ potato (grown in Tasmania and bred in Idaho) could become a family favourite now that it has begun producing commercial quantities, and 20 tonnes are making their way to supermarket shelves.

Almost 70 new varieties of potato and sweet potato will soon be available to Pacific Island countries and territories, to improve food security across the region.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Fiji has plans to source potato seed materials for the Red Pontiac variety from Australia as it continues its efforts to boost local production.

Yum Tasmania Gourmet Potatoes are now being used by top chefs and home cooks across Australia and overseas to add colour to their dishes

The Government of the Australian State Victoria is working to facilitate seed potato exports to Indonesia before the end of the year

Seed Potato growers on South Australia's Kangaroo Island have welcomed a boost in yields.