News

As the World Potato Congress begins to ramp up planning for the 13th World Potato Congress 2026 in Kenya, we are excited to welcome our newest Platinum Sustaining Partner, AUSVEG.

Based out of Australia, AUSVEG is owned by growers, for the growers.  Their core functions include representing the interests of potato, vegetable and onion growers through advocacy to the highest levels of government, and by fostering adoption of productivity-enhancing innovation that promotes a vibrant and sustainable industry. AUSVEG also delivers high-quality services to growers in areas such as extension, communications, international trade development and biosecurity, among others. The partnership with the World Potato Congress forms part of AUSVEG’s ongoing commitment to local and global collaboration, and productivity enhancements in the potato industry, through sharing of knowledge and innovation – while ensuring Australia’s potato growers are represented in international and domestic forums at the highest levels.

AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote states, “A key part of our role as the prescribed Peak Industry Body representing the Australian potato industry is ensuring growers are aware of and have opportunities to access the latest innovations, breakthroughs and research – both from within Australia, and internationally. We are proud to join with the World Potato Congress as a Platinum Partner as we continue ensuring Australian growers benefit from the wealth of knowledge and innovation that exists in the global potato industry, and that the potato sector internationally can, in-turn, gain insights and inspiration from the world-class practices employed in Australia.”

World Potato Congress President Peter VanderZaag welcomes AUSVEG stating, “Having AUSVEG join as a Platinum Sustaining Partner of the World Potato Congress is an important development.  This links the potato growers they represent to the international potato community.  The Platinum Partnership is a unique partnership which includes, in part, support for delegates from Global South Countries to attend the biennial Congress event.  These delegates represent regions for which potatoes are key to food security and development and we applaud AUSVEG in recognizing the needs of the global potato community in choosing this level of Partnership.”

Over 3,600 vegetable, potato and onion producers account for 3.8 million tonnes of vegetable production worth $5.7 billion in farmgate value annually. This includes 1.5 million tonnes of annual potato production, worth more than $1.1 billion – making potatoes the single largest commodity group produced in the Australian vegetable industry by volume and value.  AUSVEG also partners with the International Fresh Produce Association Australia-New Zealand (IFPA-ANZ) to host Hort Connections, the largest horticulture conference in the Southern Hemisphere.

AUSVEG looks forward to continuing to strengthen ties and collaboration with the World Potato Congress, as we advance our shared objectives of promoting a thriving and vibrant potato sector, both in Australia and internationally.