Simplot spud scuffle continues after growers reject latest offer

Potato growers have unanimously rejected Simplot’s latest price offer as TasFarmers CEO Nathan Calman accused the company of engaging in unfair negotiation tactics.

Simplot’s latest offer was $480 a tonne, around five per cent less than what they paid potato producers last year.

Mr Calman said during a potato growers' meeting yesterday afternoon at Deloraine that it was decided the negotiation committee would put forward a counteroffer to Simplot within a week.

Hundreds of farmers attended and growers also staged a protest beforehand.

A procession of tractors made its way through Deloraine, adorned with signs such as “don’t fry our farmers” and “cut imports, not farmers”.

Mr Calman said the offer discussed in yesterday's meeting represented a significant cut in profit per tonne for farmers.

“We heard loud and clear that for many growers, that would create a loss in farm revenue of hundreds of thousands of dollars every year,” he said.

“It was just unacceptable as it took growers back to pre-COVID prices.”

With potato growers planning to start planting crops soon, Mr Calman said producers wanted to see Simplot respond to the counteroffer within a reasonable time.

“We really don’t want the processor at this point to be using planting as an unfair bargaining tool against growers.

"I think growers are frustrated that Simplot seems to be using unfair negotiating tactics by holding out to the last minute.”

Mr Calman said these factors were part of the reason so many farmers rallied yesterday before the growers' meeting.

“I think it really showed the industry's resolve around needing to find a solution to this problem.

"It’s bigger than one processor or one supermarket through.

“It needs the community that buys potato products to back Tassie farmers and demand that their products come from Tassie farmers.”