Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia

The Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia (PMC) was a statutory corporation created by the Government of Western Australia's Marketing of Potatoes Act 1946.[1] It was charged with managing the supply of fresh table potatoes in Western Australia.[2] The statutory corporation operated to ensure licensed growers supplied potatoes all year round to the WA consumer market.[3] The corporation was self-funded by revenue from licence fees and did not receive financial support from the state government.[3] The agency dictated the varieties and volume in the WA potato market.[4]

Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia
FormerlyWestern Potatoes
TypeStatutory body
of the WA Government
IndustryPotato
Founded1946
Defunct2016
HeadquartersPerth, Western Australia
Area served
Western Australia
Servicesmarketing, research, licensing
ParentGovernment of Western Australia
Websitepmc.wa.gov.au (archived)

History

The statutory marketing body was created in 1946.[3] The PMC has 78 licensed growers in its books as of 2014.[3] They output 50 000 tonnes of potatoes to the market.[3] In 2004, there were 151 growers.[3] Further consolidation of growers is expected as the market changes due to technology and market pressures.[3]

The PMC is remembered for a high-profile dispute with potato grower and retailer Tony Gallati. In 1998, the PMC refused to accept trucks of potatoes from Tony Gallati for not arriving on time.[5]Tony proceeded to give the potatoes away for free whilst calling for the regulatory agency to be scrapped and allow free competition.[6][7] The campaign succeeded in 2015 when the state government confirmed it would abolish the agency within two years.[8]

The President of the Potato Growers Association of WA, Dean Ryan was opposed to scrapping the agency[9] and claimed it would put growers out of business. This came from the Harper Competition Policy Review and also the Economic Regulation Authority of WA which points to this as a case study of regulation restricting competition.[10] The Potato Growers Association of WA launched a new website to counter criticism from those in favour of scrapping the board.[4]

Abolition

The passage of the Marketing of Potatoes Amendment and Repeal Act 2016 in September amended the Marketing of Potatoes Act 1946 to abolish the PMC on 31 December 2016 and to provide transitional provisions as to its winding up.

Former Marketing boards and the date of disestablishment.

Name of statutory body State Established Defunct Ref
Potato Marketing Board NSW 02/04/1947 20/07/1956 [11]
Potato Marketing Board of Tasmania TAS 01/01/1927 31/12/1977 [12]
Queensland Potato Marketing Board QLD 1947 1954 [13]
ACT Potato Marketing Board ACT 1949 1951 [14]
SA Potato Board SA 1948 1986 [15]
Potato Marketing Board VIC 1935 1958 [16]

Varieties

The PMC has approved the following varieties of potatoes that growers can grow.[17]

  • Carlington
  • Delaware
  • Desiree
  • Eureka
  • Kestrel
  • Kipfler
  • Mondial
  • Nadine
  • Royal Blue
  • Ruby Lou
  • White Star

See also

References
  1. "MARKETING OF POTATOES ACT 1946". www5.austlii.edu.au. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  2. "Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia". www.pmc.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  3. ACIL ALLEN CONSULTING. "POTATO MARKETING CORPORATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA MARCH 2014 REGULATION AND THE POTATO INDUSTRY IN WA" (PDF). erawa.com.au. ACIL ALLEN CONSULTING. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  4. "Potato association launches website to combat criticism". ABC Rural. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  5. Boylen, George (17 January 1998). "Bargain hunters grab growers' hot potatoes". The West Australian.
  6. "Potato king digs in for spud war". Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  7. "Galati and PMC sign peace treaty". Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  8. "WA's Potato Marketing Corporation to be abolished in two years". Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  9. "Relevance of WA's potato board questioned". ABC Rural. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  10. "Farmers, food producers welcome recommendations of competition policy review". ABC Rural. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  11. "Potato Marketing Board - State Records NSW". search.records.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  12. "Tasmanian Archives Online". search.archives.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  13. Conroy, Denise K; Queensland. Dept. of Primary Industries; Queensland. Potato Marketing Board; Queensland. Onion Marketing Board (1981), Beyond the farm gate : an anatomy of failure of the Queensland Potato Marketing Board 1947-1954 and the Queensland Onion Marketing Board 1949-1952 and 1959-1962, retrieved 19 May 2015
  14. Services, ACT Government; PositionTitle=Director; SectionName=ACT Library and Information Services; Corporate=Territory and Municipal (30 November 2013). "HMSS 0364 ACT Potato Marketing Board Records". Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  15. Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA). "South Australia's Potato Industry" (PDF). South Australia's Potato Industry - pirsa. Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA).
  16. "Marketing of Primary Products Act 1958" (PDF). www.austlii.edu.au. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  17. "Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia". www.pmc.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
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