Potato success heralds changes

TERRENCE and Wendy Rattray have spent decades developing one of the state’s most successful horticulture businesses. 

The couple run the Yum Tasmanian Gourmet Potatoes and Anchor Farm Organics businesses, which they started in 1995 on a small farm in the state’s North-East. 

Things have changed significantly since then and as part of their business development the couple have decided to sell one of the properties where it all began. Located near Pyengana, The Powers farm has been the family for about 60 years. 

Mr Rattray said since relocating the business to Devonport in 2012, they have been busy acquiring production land in the North-West, which meant they had not grown potatoes on The Powers property since 2011. 

He said that being in a unique microclimate with plenty of summer rainfall, the property had been able to carry a significant number of livestock right through this season, despite record dry condition in many areas. 

“Pyengana gets magnificent summer rainfall so it’s a very productive property,” he said. 

Over the past few years, the Rattrays have been gradually expanding their land holdings in the state’s North-West. 

“Since we moved to Devonport most of our production has been around there,” he said. 

“Now we’ve amassed enough of the best red soils long the coast here to have a seven-year rotation which is optional.” 

As part of their business changes the Rattrays are also selling a property they bought in 2021 at Bundaberg in Queensland with the aim of focusing entirely on their Tasmanian operation. 

Mr Rattray said the Bundaberg property was perfectly suited for winter vegetable or berry production due to its mild climate.

Potato production in the business has grown steadily year on year and Mr Rattray said they have seen more demand in the past 12 months as well. 

“When we got to 1000 tonnes, I thought there’s no way we’d grow more than 1000 tonnes of fresh market potatoes a year, but for a long time it was growing at 25 per cent a year,” he said. 

“It’s slowing up a little bit, but we’ve had a lot of growth in the last 12 months.” 

Mr Rattray said a lot of that increased demand was coming from mainland states. 

“More and more over time I think we’re getting more loyal customer on the mainland which are important for us and the local demand is growing too,” he said. 

Their biggest volume products sold into the mainland are Dutch creams and kipfler potatoes. 

However, they also grow a wide range of other unique varieties including the Purple Bliss which is an eye catching purple colour.

One of the biggest developments in the Yum potato business recently has been the installation of a new potato peeling machine. They started with trials using a smaller machine which could process about two tonnes of potatoes a day. 

Since then, they have upgraded to a larger capacity knife peeler from Europe which can process about 50 tonnes a day. Mr Rattray said the peeler was used to value-add potatoes which were previously being used for stock feed. 

“It’s quite exciting for us because it means we can turn our skin blemish potatoes into an A-grade peeled potato,” he said. 

“We’re getting some fairly strong inquiries from the mainland and it looks like it will be a good business for us.” 

The Rattrays have also expanded their enterprise to include a merchandise business called All Supply Direct which is run out of East Devonport. 

Mr Rattray said that business was started after they became frustrated at having questionable quality generic farm inputs pushed on to them.

All Supply Direct is a member of the NRI buying group and can source all the usual farm merchandise producers may need.