Australia

Australia's potato industry is mainly concentrated in South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria, with South Australia being the largest producer. The Riverland and Murray Mallee regions of South Australia accounted for 15% of the nation's potato production in 2021–22. This state is a key supplier of fresh-washed potatoes, as well as potatoes for French fries, crisps, and certified seed.

Tasmania’s northern regions and Victoria’s Goulburn Valley and Sunraysia areas are also important for cultivation. New South Wales, especially in the South East Tablelands, is renowned for high-quality certified seed potatoes.

Popular potato varieties in Australia include Coliban, Sebago, Desiree, Red Pontiac, Atlantic, and Kennebec, which are grown for both domestic use and export, particularly to Southeast Asia. In 2021–22, the gross value of Australia's potato industry was around AUD 830 million, reflecting a 3% growth from the previous year. The average Australian consumed 17 kg of fresh potatoes in the same period, highlighting their role as a staple in the national diet.

Potatoes were aboard the ship of explorer James Cook when he claimed eastern Australia for Britain in 1770, and their cultivation began 18 years later with the onset of colonization. Introduced by the First Fleet settlers, potatoes quickly became a staple crop, widely grown in home gardens throughout the country.

Today, "spuds" are cultivated across the Australian continent, from the temperate southern state of Tasmania to tropical North Queensland. In South Australia, potato production expanded notably between 1880 and World War II, contributing around 5% of the national output.

The 1950s saw the introduction of irrigation technology on the Northern Adelaide Plains, enabling near year-round harvesting. The 1960s brought a major shift with the launch of washed, pre-packed potatoes, a marketing innovation that boosted fresh sales and production.

By the 1980s, large-scale enterprises emerged in the Murray Mallee and Riverland, forming a 450 km zone along South Australia’s eastern border ideal for continuous potato cultivation. The 1980s and 1990s also saw strong growth in South Australia's potato processing industry, with major contributions from companies like Smith's Snackfoods and Safries.

This evolution highlights Australia’s diverse and thriving potato industry, with South Australia playing a central role in both fresh production and processing.