Australia: Decades-old spud wars may soon end

Maverick West Australian potato grower Tony Galati claims the end is nigh for the state’s outdated spud regulation regime, but the industry association insists it’s “business as usual”. Mr Galati, who has for the past two decades fought fiercely for deregulation, claims it may happen by Christmas. “They can see it is not working, we need to have a free market, for the benefit of the growers and the consumers, (Premier Colin) Barnett should deregulate it immediately,” he told 6PR. Mr Galati said potato growers would make more money in a deregulated market because they wouldn’t have to pay the Potato Growers Association of WA’s “exorbitant” fees. But PMC WA president Dean Ryan says a media report suggesting the Potato Marketing Corporation has waved the white flag is “totally false”. More