Potato Family Ruckus
There’s a ruckus going on, or at least some people feel there is and it’s in the potato industry. I’m David Sparks and we’ll talk about it in a minute. Magic Valley.com which is in the heart of potato country reported recently that United States Potato Board President and CEO Tim O’Connor said competition and bickering between sectors of the potato industry must cease before it can achieve long-term growth.
He said divisions between sectors such as the deep rifts between growers and processors in Idaho are not helpful in solving the industry’s most significant problems, which include declining demand fueled by low-carb diets, changing consumer lifestyles and meal preferences.
Hey…everybody in the potato industry should want the same thing shouldn’t they? Good profits and feeding people with a great product. Here’s Lee Frankel, President and CEO of United Potato Growers of America with an explanation for the bickering: “Ultimately everybody looks at some potential short term gains and loses sight of the longer term picture of developing products that consumers want and desire.”
