Technico Pty Ltd, of Australia has signed orders in excess of A$2 million for the supply of early generation seed potatoes to both McCain Foods-China and Simplot-China.
The McCain contract covers various varieties to be supplied to McCain in 2001 with the likelihood of similar-valued contracts in the future. The Simplot contract will commence supply this year.
"The McCain and Simplot deals are yet another acknowledgment of the power of the Technituber technology in the challenging Chinese environment. We are looking forward to developing our relationship with both companies in the future," said Technico's Managing Director David McDonald.
China is one of the world's largest potato consumers but to date obtaining premium quality seed has presented challenges. This is due to a combination of inefficient production, with inappropriate varieties and poor quality seed material.
Technico's operation in China has resolved many of these issues. With a production capacity of 13 million Technituber seeds per year (one of the largest of its type in the world), the company envisions huge growth potential and opportunities.
Technituber technology focuses on the rapid multiplication of seed potato propagules (miniature potatoes) and results in the production of commercial seed in half the amount of time traditionally taken. This is particularly useful in challenging production environments, and from the associated benefits of increasing quality and yields.