Tasmanian potato farmers say enough is enough, they want to be paid more for the potatoes they grow

Potato processor Simplot Australia has refused to back down on its second price offer to Tasmanian farmers for their potato crop this season.

Key points: Potatoes land are more expensive to farm in Australia than the productivity powerhouse in the USFarmers here are pushing their big buyers to raise prices as their own costs soarAgricultural consultant fears fast food giants are turning to a another country

Farmers gathered on Wednesday night to discuss the standoff with the company over what they say is an effort to be paid a fair price for the produce they grow.

Farmers say the extra $105 per ton the company advanced three weeks ago is still not enough to cover the cost of growing their crop this season , valued at about $20,000 per hectare.

"They [Simplot] came back to the meeting last night, and they offered it to the growers that it would be up to the growers if they wanted to grow and how much they wanted to grow,” said John Williams, a potato farmer from North East Tasmania. print="inline-media" aria-labelledby="101233652" data -component="Figure" data-uri="coremedia://imageproxy/101233652">Farmers said take it or leave it

Mr. Williams said it was important for farmers to consider whether they wanted to take the deal individually.

< p class="_1HzXw">"It is up to individual growers to make their budgets and ensure that they really look at what their true costs are to grow potatoes and make their own financial decision based on their business," Williams said.

About 70 growers Simplot Potatoes were on the agenda in Deloraine.

They are all reassessing their future in the potato.

John Williams will reduce.

"We have already announced that we will reduce our contract by 10 hectares. I haven't done the numbers yet on where we are at the moment. I'm leaning towards reducing even more,” Mr. Williams said. data=”Figure” data-uri="coremedia://imageproxy/101239412">production> Tasmanian potato total was 457,000 tonnes. (ABC Rural: Tony Briscoe)Potato seed growers have also encountered a brick wall

Longtime Potato Seed grower Brett Neale said that It was time for processors to offer all growers a fair price that covered their rising costs.

"From a seed perspective...all negotiations have stalled , and we're in the same boat as everyone else," Mr. Neale said.

"Potato growers have had a gu...