What was it all about?

This investment provided the opportunity for five Australian potato growers and agronomists to visit innovative growing operations, research facilities and agribusinesses in Belgium and Northern France and also to attend the 2019 PotatoEurope conference.

This project was originally intended to facilitate four international study tours for the fresh and processing potato industries between 2019 and 2021, providing the opportunity for levy payers and industry researchers to travel overseas to learn and engage with international experts and peers.

The specific tours planned under this project included three PotatoEurope exhibitions in September 2019 (Belgium), 2020 (France) and 2021 (the Netherlands), and the World Potato Congress 2021, which was to take place in Ireland in June 2021.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international travel, the project activities were suspended in early 2020 and a decision was made to prematurely terminate the project in early 2021.

2019 European Potato Conference Study Tour

In September 2019, the group participated in a six-day tour across Belgium and Northern France to visit sites and organisations focused on innovation in potato production. The group included representatives from all facets of the Australian potato industry, including seed, ware and processing.

The tour allowed participants to experience the large scale of potato production in Belgium, providing a clearer insight into industry nuances, production practices, new technologies and issues facing growers in those countries. Most importantly, participants were able to expand their local and international networks and broaden their knowledge and understanding of potato production and its associated industries. Upon their return to Australia, attendees planned to review the strategic direction of their businesses and incorporate new ideas and technologies into their growing operations.

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Read an article about the tour in the October 2019 edition of the Potatoes Australia magazine, titled ‘Aussie growers and processors get a taste of the European potato industry’.