Research investment

Potatoes New Zealand has completed more than 70 research projects and brought several eminent overseas experts to New Zealand for grower seminars and farm visits.

Industry research is driven by a compulsory levy on growers of 0.2%. This raises around $220,000 per annum or 27% of the total levy collected ($20/$10,000 of sales) which is allocated by the Potato Industry R&D Investment Group. Grower levies have been responsible for leveraging a large amount of Government funding. For example:

• Our annual investment of $10-$15,000 in potato breeding helps ensure that the Government's annual investment of around $600,000 continues.
• MAF Sustainable Farming Fund co-funded projects amounting to over $1million over the life of the projects.
• Foundation for Research, Science & Technology where potatoes are one of four focus crops of Future Vegetables - a project which will attract nearly $38 million over its life. Other programs contain small elements of potato work valued at approximately $1.7 million annually.

Potatoes New Zealand (in conjunction with Ausveg) also funds the publication of "Chips", a no-frills summary of global R&D in the potato industry. Chips is produced for the industry by Crop & Food Research Ltd. To download the latest issue of Chips please click here.

Vegetable Research and Innovation Board

Potatoes New Zealand also contributes to the Vegetable Research and Innovation (R&I) Board. The Board was established early in 2006 and the other contributing groups are Fresh Vegetable Product Group, Fresh Tomato Product Group, Process Vegetable Product Group, Onions New Zealand Inc. and New Zealand Asparagus Council. The R&I Board is currently chaired by Dr Mike Dunbier (previously Chief Executive of Crop & Food Research) and Murray Turley currently represents Potatoes New Zealand. Dr Sonia Whiteman was appointed to the position of Vegetable R&I Manager in late May 2006.

The R&I Board has delegated responsibility from the Product Groups to:

• Grow the focus on strategic R&I across the Vegetable Product Groups.
• Recommend an R&I strategy and from this an investment portfolio across the Vegetable Product Groups.
• Coordinate the operation of this portfolio with key research providers.
• Develop and coordinate proposals with key investment agencies proposals to grow strategic investment into vegetable R&I.
• Communicate vegetable industry R&I strategies and outcomes to key industry stakeholders.
• Manage the vegetable R&I portfolio for the achievement of outcomes desired by growers.
• Coordinate with other related portfolios, especially those Product Groups within Horticulture NZ and the wider horticulture industry.

The R&I Board does not make decisions on investment in individual projects by the Product Groups. Product Groups retain the right to make their own funding decisions via their R&D Committees but the goal is to develop a more strategic approach to this investment by incorporating the advice of the R&I Board and Manager.

Click here to download a paper summarising the R&I Board's achievements to-date and the R&D Board's constitution.

Funding Sources

Businesses or individuals interested in exploring funding options for research or industry development activities should click here.