Spud boss digging into her role
Six months into the Potatoes New Zealand chief executive role and Kate Trufitt has embraced the challenges and opportunities with enthusiasm.
New Zealand's potato sector remains a billion dollar plus industry despite a year of crises.
Potatoes New Zealand says the total value of the NZ potato industry now sits at $1.16 billion, a 58% growth rate since targets were set in 2013.
Chief executive Chris Claridge says this result shows the immense value of the local processing sector.
“Fifty-five percent of our locally grown potatoes produce fries and another 12% produce crisps. A strong domestic market for NZ processed potatoes underpins our industry and maintains our growers’ resilience.”
However, the sector is disappointed by the findings of a Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) tariff report. Claridge says the conclusions of the MBIE Final Report into European Dumping are “very disappointing” for growers and the Potatoes NZ board.
MBIE found the confirmed dumping of imported potato fries into the NZ market as not of material threat to the local industry.
Claridge says this signals to NZ importers and EU exporters that the NZ Government is leaving the gate open.
“The obvious risk here is a real material threat to our domestic potato processing market and our growers,” he says.
NZ Potato Industry Fast Facts:
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
There have been leadership changes at the Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative, which has been struggling financially in recent years.
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