JIM and Anne Taylor, of Nile, are typical of the 650 or so farmers who grow Tasmania's poppy crop.
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Mr Taylor said that poppies were only about 10 per cent of the farm's annual production, but were an important part of its crop rotation and had been since about 1998.
"We're also growing wheat and white clover this year, but have grown peas and potatoes in other years," he said.
"Poppies are very difficult to grow really well - their fine, little seed is difficult to germinate on a broad acre and there are all sorts of pests and diseases that are waiting to pounce on them.
"The downy mildew has taken about 10-20 per cent of our plants this year, but that leaves a little more room for the other plants and they may compensate a bit by growing an extra head or something like that."
Mrs Taylor said the couple had contracts with Tasmanian Alkaloids and TPI Enterprises this year.
"TasAlkaloids had a bit of a cutback this year, so we filled up the bit they cut back with TPI," she said.