Extractas enticing growers to switch from potatoes to poppies

Frustrated spud farmers have been urged to consider growing poppies, with Extractas Bioscience targeting potato producers as price negotiations with processor Simplot drag on.

The company, formerly known as Tasmanian Alkaloids, has put out a call to crop farmers who might be interested in growing poppies – with the state being the largest producer of legal narcotic opium.

Two years ago, Extractas had 3500ha of poppies under its management.

But this year, contractors growing for the company are expected to plant a combined 7500ha.

Extractas field operations manager Noel Beven said his company was hoping to add to that amount.

“At the moment, there’s a lot of unknowns in the cropping world,” Mr Beven said.

“The situation with Simplot is a real concern to a lot of growers, on top of all the issues with mop-top.

“There’s a lot of angst, uncertainty and irritation within potato growing circles.”

Extractas wanted to let farmers know that poppies were an option for them.

“Growers are starting to reassess what they might or might not do,” Mr Beven said.

“The reason behind the ad was to say to growers that if you’re not growing any poppies, you might like to.

“And if you’re already growing some for us, and you’re not sure what’s going on with your potato ground, you might put another paddock of poppies in for us.”

Mr Beven said that it costs farmers $20,000 a hectare to grow potatoes and they would only break even if they produced 55 tonnes of spuds each season.

The current offers that Simplot has made to potato farmers would potentially result in them losing up to 30 per cent of their net profit compared to last year.

Mr Beven said poppies could be a more profitable alternative crop for growers.

“Our company takes a lot of the risk in the fact that we provide seed, sowing, harvest and cartage.

“It’s very much a joint venture between the grower and Extractas.

“Growing poppies at the moment could be a good choice for croppers who were planning to put potatoes in.”

Farmers interested in growing poppies can contact Extractas for more information.