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SPUDSMART.COM38Withsevenmonthstothenextharvestalmost60percentofthisyearx19scrophasnowbeensold.AssociationBlamesRetailersforCrisisinIrishPotatoSectorIrishFederationofAgriculturepresidentJohnBryansaidinearlyJanuarythatpotatogrowersinIrelandarefacingawipeoutasretailersandpackerspocketupto80percentofthex1enalconsumerpriceandfarmersaregoingbroke.BryanpointedoutthataveragefarmgatepricesinIrelandare130pertonneandretailpricesareaveragingat500pertonne.Hesaidfarmersneedadoublingofthepricepaidtothemtobreakeven.Hechallengedtheretailbossestobringmoreequityintothesituationforgrowers.x1cTheexcessiveprox1eteeringmustendandgrowersmustgetfairplay.Itisnotacceptablethatretailersdriveprimaryproducersintobankruptcybecauseofashort-termoversupplysituationx1dsaidBryan.Atapotatogrowersx19meetinginmid-Januarygrowersvoicedangeranddesperationattheirsituationandchallengedretailersmerchantsandpackerstoensurethatprimaryproducersaretreatedfairly.TherewillnotbeasurplusofpotatoesthisseasoninIreland.Withsevenmonthstothenextharvestalmost60percentofthisyearx19scrophasnowbeensold.Growingconditionsin2011werefavourablewithhigherthannormalyieldsandthiscreatedashort-termoversupplyintheindustry.HoweverIrishpotatoproductionin2011wasstilldownbyanestimated60000tonneson2010productionwhichmeansthatthemarketismoreinbalancethaninoversupply.SourceIrishFederationofAgricultureFrito-LayRampsUpFarmContractsinIndiaPlummetingpotatopricesforthreeconsecutiveyearshavepromptedsomeIndianfarmerstoswitchtocontractfarmingthisseason.ForthemsecuringcontractswithFrito-LayIndiaistheonlyalternativeforaguaranteedreturn.Thecompanyhasreportedlydoubleditstargetthisyear.AccordingtoTheTimesofIndiaFritoLayplanstosigncontractswith9000farmersinIndiawhogrowpotatoeson5000acresofland.TheassistantmanagerofPepsiCoFrito-LayDivisionPrabalRoyisquotedbyTheTimesofIndiaassayingx1cLastyearwepurchased10000tonnesofpotatoeswhichwereboughtfromfarmersandsenttoourstores.Weplantoprocure20000tonnesthisseason.x1dAtypicalFrito-LaycontractinIndiarequiresthefarmertoprovidelandandlabourfortheproductionofthecontractedpotatoes.Frito-Layprovidestheseedx14usuallyAtlantaandChipsonax14whicharedifferentfromthetraditionalJyotiorPokhrajvarietiesplantedbymostIndianfarmers.Frito-Layalsoprovidesagronomysupporttogrowers.FarmersgetcropinsuranceseedandcreditfromFrito-Laywhichneedstoberepaidafterharvest.SourceTheTimesofIndiaPotatoExtensionProgramLaunchedinAustraliaAUSVEGthebodyrepresentingtheinterestsofAustralianvegetableandpotatogrowersrecentlylaunchedathree-yearinitiativetoenhancecommunicationwithinAustraliax19spotatoindustryandtopromoteclearerinformationexchange.DubbedthePotatoIndustryExtensionProgramtheinitiativeisspecix1ecallyaimedatensuringgrowersandpotatoprocessorsaremademoreawareoftheoutcomesofresearchanddevelopmentprogramsfundedbyindustryandtheAustraliangovernmentandareprovidedwithinformationthatcanbeusedonapracticallevel.AccordingtoAUSVEGchiefexecutiveofx1ecerRichardMulcahygrowersandprocessorsdonothavethetimetoreadthroughlengthyresearchpapersordecipherscientix1ecprocesses.x1cWewillbebringingpeopletogetherfromvariouspartsoftheindustryandwillbefocusingonface-to-facemeetingsx1dsaidMulcahy.AkeyelementoftheprogramwillbeaseriesofquarterlyworkshopsheldinAustraliax19smajorpotato-growingregionswiththeaimofensuringWORLDNEWS