Spuds losing ground to housing
Potato growers are losing prime land to urban sprawl, with over 3000ha lost since 2016.
The newly elected chair of Potatoes NZ has dismissed claims that there is a shortage of potatoes in the country.
Paul Olsen says assertions about a shortage of potatoes are wrong. He says there is no shortage and there is unlikely to be a shortage this year.
He admits it’s been a challenging year with supply – given the crop losses in one of the major potato growing areas, Pukekohe.
But Olsen says, on average, it’s been a great year for potato growers in Canterbury and the yields could well make up for any losses in the north.
“The one thing that has happened is the challenges faced by the distribution network, especially with the Cook Strait ferries being out of service for significant periods of time,” he told Rural News.
“Because of this and other factors, people may not get the exact choice of potato they like – but there is no shortage.”
Olsen concedes that potatoes are becoming more expensive. However, that simply reflects the additional costs of growing and distributing them.
He adds that everything - from labour, fuel, fertiliser and road user charges - has gone up and these costs are being reflected in the price to consumers.
Another issue has been that with roads blocked or damaged in many areas, trucks carrying potatoes have had to resort to using less direct and lengthy routes, which has added to the cost. Producers of other primary products have also been hit in this way.
However, according to Olsen – who grows potatoes in the Horowhenua – the good news is that the early spuds are now in the ground and new potatoes will be on the menu for Christmas dinner.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.