Potato industry trade show and forum looks to future

The state’s industry has been facing unprecedented challenge this year, with record drought impacting on planting season followed by floods that impacted on harvest.

Floods rotted potatoes in the fields and locked farmers out of their paddocks during peak harvest time with product losses and harvesting delays plaguing growers.

However new products and technology and the results of the latest research and development was the focus of an annual potato industry trade show and forum hosted on Wednesday by Roberts.

Organiser and Roberts agronomist Stuart Millwood said the forum was a way to engage with growers and teach them about practical new products they can use on-farm and also the results of the recent trial work.

A recent trial conducted over last season focused on three trial sites at Scottsdale, West Scottsdale and Branxholm and looked at how increased use of nutrients could produce higher crop yields.

Mr Millwood said the trial focused on increasing the use of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and calcium.

“Every nutrient is important but the biggest drivers of yield are NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium)," Mr Millwood said.

The trial looked at whether increasing the rate of NPK added to crops would result in higher numbers of potatoes grown per hectare.

“We wanted to look at what the ideal rate of NPK was and we are happy to say we have had a positive response to increasing those traditional levels.”

Mr Millwood said the challenge now was to replicate those results over the coming years, to ensure the trial results were accurate.

Farmers that attended the trade show and forum were also treated to updates from Bayer CropScience and UPL on new products such as bacteria and new fungicides on the market.

Machinery were also on display at the trade show, with the latest in tractors and harvesting equipment on display.

About 100 farmers from across the state, from the North-West to the South, were at the event.