September 13, 2012
Opportunity for the growth of Maori Potatoes
Maori potato growers are looking for ways to brand their crops as a premium product.
Using improved seeds and working as cooperatives to get crops to market were among the topics covered by the latest gathering of Tahuri Whenua, the Maori organic growers’ collective, at Kaiwhaiki on the Whanganui River.
Chair Nick Roskruge says the growing popularity of the heirloom potato strains is a great opportunity for Maori.
“It is a high value kai for the restaurants, and for the tourist’s trades. We want to make sure the story goes with the kai, so the value is not just the physical something on a plate. Where it’s come from, how it’s come to be and held over these generations, all of that sort of thing”.
Dr Roskruge says Tahuri Whenua is looking at labelling its crops as indigenous, rather than a traditional organic certification.