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May 01, 2009
Simplot Australia oversupplied, can't buy surplus yields
Thousands of tonnes of Tasmanian potatoes may have to be dumped, because of falling demand for potato chips (french fries).Potatoes are being harvested now, but vegetable processor Simplot has told farmers it's oversupplied, and can't buy their surplus...
March 16, 2009
Heat takes toll on potato revenue in Australia
The South Australian Potato Company says heat damage has left half of its crops with some level of damage. The company's business development coordinator, Julian Carbone, says white variety colliban suffered the most damage. He says the company has lo...
February 09, 2009
Simplot Australia imports French fries from US to deal with drought
Tasmanian potato farmers are frustrated the vegetable processor Simplot has had to import potatoes [French Fries]from the United States to fill a shortfall caused by the drought. Simplot's Ulverstone plant in the state's north-west is operating 40,00...
February 05, 2009
McCain may be forced to forgo Ballarat potatoes
McCain Foods says it might have to rely on other sources for its potatoes this season, after last week's heatwave ruined many of the crops near Ballarat.Most potato growers in the region sell their produce to the Ballarat-based frozen food company.The ...February 04, 2009
Heatwave ruins Ballarat potato crops
Hundreds of millions of [Australian] dollars may have been wiped off the incomes of potato growers in the Ballarat region because of last week's heatwave.Norm Suckling farms a property near Creswick, north of Ballarat.He estimates hundreds of tonnes of...January 30, 2009
McCain Ballarat offers a 24% increase in potato price
Ballarat district potato growers have been offered a 24 per cent increase to supply potatoes to McCain Foods this year. Growers received a letter last week from the Ballarat food processor stating the increase.It is believed the amount was agreed to ac... Sponsored Content
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January 19, 2009
Victoria interstate potato trade restarted
The first consignments of potatoes to leave Victoria since the discovery of potato cyst nematode last year have been trucked to Canberra and Brisbane. Interstate trade was halted after the discovery of potato cyst nematode on a property at Thorpdale, t...January 16, 2009
Second positive PCN sample in Victoria from related property
VICTORIA'S leading potato-growing district will not find itself locked out of interstate trade despite the discovery of a second property affected by a potato parasite. A massive testing effort since the original discovery had tested 550,000 soil sampl...December 19, 2008
Indonesia looks to West Australian seed potatoes
Western Australia's world class seed potato industry was in the spotlight during a recent a visit by Indonesian Government officials and industry specialists.The Indonesian visit was organised by the Department of Agriculture and Food.The department is...December 01, 2008
Chemist close to synthetically producing thaxtomin, the compound that causes potato scab
A bid to synthetically produce a toxin that costs the Australian potato industry about $20 million annually might hold the key to beating the disease, Australian researchers say. Researcher Peter Molesworth, of the University of Tasmania's School of C...
November 24, 2008
Agrico's Almera suitable for diabetics and requires less water
A new, healthier variety of potato is set to take the Australian market by storm. Unlike most spuds, Almera is suitable for people who are diabetic or striving to maintain a healthy weight. Graham Liney, who lives about two hours from Canberra, in La...October 22, 2008
Potato Cyst Nematodes all over Australia?
A property at Thorpdale, in West Gippsland, has been found to have potato cyst nematode (PCN) and a freeze has been put on potato trade from the area.John Hodgkin from the Thorpdale branch of the Victorian Farmers Federation says the Government has to ... Sponsored Content 
October 17, 2008
Potato cyst nematode found in Gippsland (Australia)
A 20km quarantine zone in Thorpdale's potato region has been declared following the discovery of potato cyst nematode. The discovery, made during routine crop surveys required to meet standards for seed potato certification, could have a devastating ef...October 08, 2008
Drinking spuds in their special year
Australia can now officially toast International Year of the Potato.A New South Wales winery best known for its fruit creations has just released the country's only commercial potato vodka.The potatoes used to make the vodka are sebago and harvested on...September 26, 2008
Ballarat Potato Farmers reject price offer McCain Foods
Ballarat district potato growers have rejected a price offer from McCain Foods to buy this season's crop.While McCain buys most of the region's potatoes, escalating fertiliser and fuel costs mean growers want to see an increase per tonne in price to re...August 11, 2008
Potato research facility in Australia to close down
Workers at the Department of Primary Industry’s (DPI) potato research facility at Toolangi have been told the facility is to close. The jobs of seven of the 11 staff members are to be relocated to Knoxfield while four have found themselves without job...August 11, 2008
Potato price increases more than threefold between farm gate and shelves
In an article entitled "Grocery report's disparities only small fry", Paul Sheehan notes: "The figure you need to know is the price for a kilo of potatoes from the farm gate: 55 cents. That is the most common bulk price sold to wholesal...July 17, 2008
35% price increase for potato farmers Simplot Australia
The potato processor, Simplot Australia, and farmers have been negotiating prices for four months and have agreed to a 35 per cent price rise for the coming crop. Simplot's managing director, Terry O'Brien, says both sides have ended up in a good pla...