AUSTRALIA'S only vertically integrated seed potato producer continues to back the potato industry with new state-of-the-art coolstores and a four-row planter among recent announced investments.
Hydroponic minituber producer, Agronico, is receiving attention from within the industry in its new coolstore facility in Spreyton, Tasmania which has the capacity to store upwards of 8000 tonnes of seed and ware potatoes.
Launched in July this year, the coolstore are fully functioning and generating interesting from other vegetable growers based on the results of the technology used.
Part of that technology includes having the temperature, carbon dioxide levels and humidity monitored 24 hours per day, seven days a week and held at optimum levels.
Agronico is a leading provider of seed potatoes in Australia.
RELATED READING
According to chief executive officer, Robert Graham, the new coolstore will allow Agronico to better service its customers by providing ideal storage conditions of potatoes until shipping.
“The coolstore maximises the opportunity for high quality seed which is vital for high yield and therefore valuable for our farmers," Mr Graham said.
“It sits adjacent to the current grading and packing facility, accommodating the rapid growth the company has achieved in the last four years and positioning Agronico to increase local and export potato seed production."
Mr Graham said increasing the production of potatoes creates a flow-on effect for farmers and contractors around the state.
"For customers, the product will be better because it can be stored and moved around less; yields and the product will be superior," he said.
"The decision to build our own coolstore was a logical step in our business growth strategy.
"We will continue to invest in infrastructure to support and maximise our capabilities as the leading and only vertically integrated supplier of quality seed potatoes in Australia."
Planter to improve yield
IN the paddock, Agronico has pushed for improved yields by purchasing an AVR four-row planter.
The company says the planter will increase efficiency at planting by up to 10 per cent and can carry 2.5 tonnes of seed potatoes.
“Agronico is committed to improving yields at every stage of the seed potato production. The AVR four row planter is an important addition to our strategy to achieve these goals," Mr Graham said.
The AVR will plant 80pc of the seed potatoes this year, increasing the efficiency of planting and reducing compaction to the soil associated with tractors at planting.
“As far as we are aware, use of the AVR four row planter is unique to Australian potato farming," Mr Graham said.
“The planter is extremely reliable, precise and robust and has made the job of our field team much easier and more effective."
Who is Agronico?
AGRONOMIST Julian Shaw formed Agronico in 1985 to provide advice to growers prior to developing its own product.
The company operates a ViCSPA-accredited tissue laboratory, holding about 150 different potato varieties.
It imports and export tissue for clients, as well as producing material for the minituber production facility.
Agronico’s seed starts from tissue culture plantlets in its laboratory and are transferred to a hydroponic minituber production facility.
The minitubers are planted in clean soil in the central north and northwest of Tasmania that has been DNA tested for soil pathogens.
It produces G1 seed which is then propagated to produce G3-G4 seed potatoes.
In March/April each year they are harvested, graded and stored prior to delivery to growers in the next season.
Agronico's minituber production facility produces about 250,000 minitubers each year for clients across Australia, as well as for its own seed production program.
