Australia: Growers will quit over potato deregulation

Executive officer of the Potato Growers Association of Western Australia, Simon Moltoni, believes that some South West growers will leave the potato industry over deregulation. The State Government announced on April 15 that the Potato Marketing Corporation would be scrapped from June 30. The decision comes with a sweetener for growers set to receive $14 million during the transition with $2 million of that to support industry development, which the State Government wants the industry to match. Potato Growers Association of WA executive officer Simon Moltoni said he was disappointed with the State Government’s lack of consultation with growers. “The $2 million that the State Government has put up and asked the industry to match is from thin air,” he said. “I don’t think people would be willing to pay that while the industry is destabilised.” More