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Review the last season with
your field officer and
agronomist and decide what
improvements you can make
to increase yield, quality
and reliability. What is working
well for you and what could
be improved? Are there
different ways to approach
things that might give you a
better outcome?
Create a new plan and work
through it with your
agronomist and company field
officer. Advanced planning
for the next few seasons
always pays dividends.
It’s a good idea to organise
your contractors for the
season. They like to know
what work they have for
the year.
Negotiate hard with your
suppliers for the best deal and
conditions. If necessary, talk
with your bank manager about
an overdraft to cover the
year’s crop costs.
Review staff requirements
for health and safety training
for potato operations.
The UK’s Agriculture and
The Potato Processors
Association of Australia
(PPAA) would like to thank
AUSVEG and growers for
this opportunity to regularly
contribute to Potatoes Australia .
Some of you may be familiar
with the PPAA but for those of
you who aren’t, the PPAA is
made up of representatives from
each of the five largest potato
processors in Australia: Simplot,
McCain, Smiths, Snackbrands
and Marvel Packers.
The potato industry is unique
in that the grower’s 50 cent
per tonne National Potato Levy
is matched by the processors
for all tonnes processed.
The PPAA charter is to guide
the investment of our potato
processor levies into projects
that will lead to greater on-farm
production efficiencies and in
turn, greater productivity and
profitability for our growers and
suppliers.
Some of our short-term
priorities involve the expansion
and development of the DNA-
based soil testing (PreDicta
TO PROVIDE READERS WITH AN UPDATE ON ALL SECTORS OF THE AUSTRALIAN POTATO
INDUSTRY, POTATOES AUSTRALIA HAS INTRODUCED A DEDICATED COLUMN FROM
THE POTATO PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (PPAA). IN THIS ARTICLE, PPAA
CHAIR PETER HARDMAN EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE ASSOCIATION AND PROVIDES A
GROWER CHECKLIST TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON.
Introducing the Potato Processors
Association of Australia
Pt) to include diseases such
as Pink rot and Potato cyst
nematode (PCN). We are eager
to find sustainable treatment
options for Powdery scab and
develop new control options for
Pink rot.
We are also keen to ensure
that we are taking the necessary
steps to protect our industry
from the introduction of Zebra
chip. The PPAA remains
committed to working with
processing growers to combine
our levy resources to tackle on-
farm productivity challenges.
After a season interspersed
with drought, floods and rain,
it’s time to review the last
season and plan for the future.
Like anything, good planning
increases the chances of
realising production goals.
For this first column from the
PPAA, we provide a pre-season
checklist that for most of you
will be common practice – but
for others might prompt some
hands-on planning prior to the
next season.
Horticulture Development
Board (AHDB) website
has some great modules
that cover aspects of safety
in potato production (please
visit
safe-potato-operations for
more information).
Select the paddocks you
intend to plant considering
the paddock history, year of
the last potato crop and
what varieties have been
grown in the paddock.
Consider planning beyond
the next season.
Clean up the cropping
area and remove
self-sown potatoes.
Soil fertility samples should
be taken and a decision on
fertiliser made. Make sure
you order your fertiliser
and gypsum.
Talk to your agronomist about
using PreDicta Pt to test for
soil borne pathogens.
Check your purchased seed –
how is it holding and is the