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NZ POTATO INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GROW The New Zealand Potato Industry remains a billion dollar plus industry despite a year of crises. The total value of the NZ potato industry now sits at $1.16 billion, a 58% growth rate since targets were set in 2013. CEO of Potatoes New Zealand Chris Claridge says, “this result shows the immense value of our processing sector - 55% of our locally grown potatoes produce fries and another 12% produce crisps. A strong domestic market for NZ processed potatoes underpins our industry and maintains our growers’ resilience.” He says the findings in the MBIE Final Report into European Dumping are very disappointing for growers and the Potatoes NZ board. MBIE found the confirmed dumping of imported potato fries into the NZ market as not of material threat to the local industry, which Claridge says signals to NZ importers and EU exporters that the NZ government is leaving the gate open. “The obvious risk here is a real material threat to our domestic potato processing market and our growers”, he says.
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FMCG BUSINESS - SEPTEMBER 2021
The NZ Potato Industry Forum and Annual General Meeting were held in Canterbury and Pukekohe on the 13th and 19th of August with a theme of Sustainable Growth, in the South and North Island growing regions. The forums’ focus was on industry value growth and tested the appetite of industry for further pursuit of domestic market security. In addition, all aspects of sustainable development; economic, social, and environmental impacts, were covered in the day long forums with keynotes from Bernard Hickey providing an economic report and Katherine Rich speaking on the New Zealand supermarket duopoly.
Fast Facts • The NZ potato industry value is over $1 billion dollars per annum • NZ processed potatoes account for 67% of NZ potato industry value • Currently 85% of all fries eaten in NZ are NZ fries • 15% of fries consumed in NZ are imported For more information visit www.potatoesnz.co.nz