Even with a year of crises, and a disappointing Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) tariff report, the NZ potato industry still accounts for USD1.16bn, a 58% growth rate since targets were set in 2013.
According to Sunlive, who’s quoting the CEO of Potatoes New Zealand, Chris Claridge, the result shows “the immense value of our processing sector”.
“Fifty-five per cent of our locally grown potatoes produce fries and another 12 per cent produce crisps. A strong domestic market for NZ processed potatoes underpins our industry and maintains our growers’ resilience,” said Claridge.
He added that 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 Chris says signals to New Zealand importers and EU exporters that the Government is leaving the gate open.
“The obvious risk here is a real material threat to our domestic potato processing market and our growers,” Claridge concluded.
