Growers tipped to roast import spuds

TASMANIA’S $400m potato industry will make its opposition heard no with as been invited to comment on the Tasmanian government’s controversial decision to allow shelf spuds from South Australia to be imported for sale here.

In June, Biosecurity Tasmania granted a conditional import licence to Mitolo Group to import fresh potatoes into the state.

Tasmanians learned of that decision in parliament last week after questions were raised by Labor MP Shane Broad.

So far just one shipment of 100 kg of washed ware potatoes from SA has taken place and there is no indication what future imports were planned, a Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment spokesman said.

Potato farmers said they

understood the imported spuds would be stocked by a major supermarket chain.

But Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett on Wednesday said he had written to the supermarkets urging them to continue to stock locally boughtproduce.

“I am very pleased they have now reported they have no intention of stocking the imported potatoes,” he said. Labor and the Shooters and Fishers Party are calling for an injunction on the decision due to potential biosecurity threats they say could put the Tasmanian industry at risk.

Farmer Brett Neal said importing potatoes when local growers could supply demand also threatened market share and farm gate prices.

Mr Neal said he hoped consumers would reject the imported product.

“But that could be hard if the imported spuds are labelled product of Australia and there is no way of differentiating them from local produce,” hesaid.

“It is opening a door which could be very hard to close down the track ,” Mr Neal said.

“There is no shortage to warrant it. New potatoes are on the shelves now and more are coming online. The wet season has had some impact this year but on the whole, Tasmania is growing more potatoes now than ever before .”

The department has released a Statement of Reasons in relation to the decision which is contingent on SA maintaining official diseasefree status for bacterial wilt and potato cyst nematode.

Mr Neal said Biosecurity Tasmania was underfunded and recent blueberry rust and fruit fly outbreaks had raised border control concerns.

“Tasmanian farmers are also supplying a large amount of seed potatoes to mainland customers and overseas and this is now at risk if importation of potatoes into Tasmanian is allowed,” he said. Mr Broad also called the importation permit unnecessary.

The industry can comment in writing by the close of business on October 6.