Potatoes New Zealand represents the interests of New Zealand's seed, table, and process potato growers.

The potato industry is made up of around 290 growers who produce an estimated 500,000 tonnes of potatoes from 10,500 hectares in 2006.

This website is funded by the Commodity Levy paid by potato growers. The site aims to provide growers with timely information on industry events and developments, and be a first point of reference for industry specific research and technical information.

Some sections of this website are password protected and only available to levy payers and Potatoes New Zealand members. In order to view these pages you need to login or register.

Fantastic potato promoting activities for 2009

Whether it is the Baked potato campaign, Calling all grandparents! strategy , Kids What Now Spudtacular TV show, 2009 Great Potato Restaurant challenge, or the That's Life Best Chip Competition – there is plenty happening to maintain the momentum created in the United Nations 2008 International Year of the Potato. Click here to see what is on or to discover and order the fantastic new potato resources. 
 

7th WPC – March 2009

The 7th World Potato Congress was a magical experience and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing Canterbury and New Zealand with the global potato industry.  The feedback we are getting about the Congress and New Zealand is glowing. 

I met so many new people and learned many new ideas, I'm processing the information I collected, the contacts I made and the experiences I had.  It was a privilege to have met people from around the world who are as passionate as I am about our industry.

Our invited speakers not only are experts in their field but also are fine examples of the nature of potato industry people – generous, knowledgeable and with a practical, workable vision.  I challenge you to meet and include more people from the potato industry, those who attended the Congress and those who didn't make it, to further grow our industry.  As Ron Gall said in his thank you speech at the Congress Awards dinner, we are our own worst enemy and we need to stick together.

I would also add we don't realise the importance of the part we play on the world stage.  Potatoes are the ideal sustainable crop to help solve some of the world's problems, in particular the potential for us to feed the world in 2050 when the global population is expected to reach 9 billion people. We need to step up and remind our local consumers what a wonder food potatoes truly are.

Please take time to view the online proceedings from the Congress at the link below and follow the other links also. Thanks to those who helped organise the Congress, especially those growers who put time and energy into ensuring Potatoes NZ put on a Congress to remember!

Terry Olsen
Chairman, Potatoes NZ

• To view the Congress proceedings click here
• To view and purchase photos click here
• To view WPC 2009 merchandising click here or click here 

Psyllid newsletter

1 March 2010

The first issue of the 2010 Psyllid News newsletter is now available - click here to download it now.

Chips 48

28 January 2010

The latest version of the Chips newsletter is now available - click here to download it now.

Potato compliance programme update

22 December 2009

An updated version of the potato compliance programme has been posted on the MAFBNZ Plant Exports website with an effective date of 18 January 2010 - to find out more see the "Exports" page of the Potatoes NZ website.

Advisor to tackle psyllid pest

22 December 2009

Potatoes New Zealand has contracted Dr Stephen Ogden to coordinate our response to the potato psyllid. A former research scientist and now advisor on biosecurity and market access issues, Dr Ogden has assisted Potatoes NZ and growers tackle the psyllid in the past 12 months. In this new advisory and co-ordination role he will also be responsible for monitoring the impacts of psyllid nationally; keeping us and the science community appraised of these impacts and possible research objectives; advising on the development of the science programme; and monitoring implementation of recommendations by growers.

World Potato Congress Proceedings & Merchandise

Proceedings from the 2009 World Potato Congress in Christchurch are now available online - please click here to find out more.  Following the 2009 World Potato Congress, WPC 2009 merchandise is now available - this includes the 100% silk ties which many people wore at the Congress, as well as the Scrub'a potato scrubbing gloves.  To find out more please download an order form by clicking here.

Click here to view the potatoesnz.co.nz news archive.