High praise for the humble spud

US potato expert Dick Okray is from Winsconsin and is a retired president of Potatoes USA and former chair of the United States Potato Board.

He has also spent 16 years with Potato Growers of America, a cooperative that has long fought to ensure fair prices for growers.

Like the rest of the 800 attendees at the Congress, he was there to have an open exchange of knowledge and ideas.

Delegates came from 40 different countries, from China to Poland to South Africa to Peru – and a large contingent of 50 Tasmanians were also in the room.

“We were talking a lot about artificial intelligence and how it’s going to change agriculture going forward,” Dick said.

“It can be used to find pests in the field and identify better methodologies – how to grow more with less and produce higher yields on the same amount of land.

“Some of it comes back to breeding, but it’s also about pushing potato production into places where they have not been traditionally grown.”

Following the Congress Dick has been the guest of Thirlstane potato grower Nathan Richardson, and the pair were in Carrick on Friday checking out irrigation setups on nearby farms.

Irrigation is key to growing potatoes in impoverished countries, with the benefits being enormous.

A potato has more vitamin C than an orange and more potassium than a banana, and with 3.5 grams of protein in a small potato, it is truly some of the best food that you could possibly eat, Dick said.

“If you were stranded on a desert island and had only one food to eat that would keep you alive it would be potatoes. It is a fantastic food stuff.”

 Around the world there are nearly 18 million hectares of potatoes growing, and Tasmania has long held a reputation for producing some of the best. 

Nathan said there is a lot to learn from fellow growers around the world.

“I’ve been to five congresses and what I get out of it is a sense of unity and collaboration that everyone has – scientists, researchers, extension people, growers, machinery dealers – they’re all a part of the industry that has the best intention for everyone, not just themselves,” he said.

“They all want to see potatoes grown in countries where there isn’t enough to eat. Where the industry could bring in enough money to educate children and ensure communities are thriving.”

Picture: American potato expert Dick Okray, right, with Tasmanian farmers  Hayden Richardson, left,  Lauchie Gleeson, Will Wishaw, Flynn Tueon and Paul Woodward at Carrick on Friday.