Christchurch, New Zealand – 14 August 2025
The Potato Seed Co-operative Limited has received the Innovation Award at the Potato Industry Awards 2025 for their transformative investment in cutting-edge potato seed processing technology.
The Ashburton-based co-operative is a grower-owned entity that stores and supplies high quality potato seed for process growers in the Canterbury region.
The co-operative’s journey towards technological excellence began three years ago with the purchase of a multi-million dollar Optimal Vision potato seed grading system. Building on this foundation, the co-operative has continued to innovate, investing in modular seed cutting equipment and technology over the past two years to revolutionise their operation.
The advanced system enables the co-operative to size potato seed into distinct classes by shape and size, delivering tailored seed lines to their grower shareholders. These lines include whole seed, single cut potato seed, and multi-cut potato seed with consistent shape and size, dramatically improving planting efficiency and overall quality for commercial potato growers.
The technological transformation has delivered impressive results for the co-operative’s grower shareholders. The benefits include superior potato seed quality, easier planting with improved spacing, reduced waste, and a notable 2 percent linear yield increase in commercial potato crops year-on-year across total plantings.
“This technology allows growers to maximise seed placement and spacing in the field with their potato seed planters,” says Potatoes New Zealand Chief Executive Kate Trufitt. “The result is improved potato plant stand in the field and even emergence, which optimises crop inputs of fertiliser and water whilst increasing potato crop quality and yield per hectare. Through a collaborative effort and a shared commitment to technological innovation, these growers are seeing exactly the practical return on investment in productivity that the industry needs innovation to deliver.”
The technology also increases operational efficiencies at the co-operative including significant waste reduction. Seasonal staffing requirements have been reduced from 36 to 10 people, whilst increased recovery rates have reduced the total amount of mother seed required.
The Potato Seed Co-operative Limited was established in 2017 following McCain Food’s decision to cease seed supply to process potato growers. Recognising the need for a collaborative solution, growers formed the co-operative to spread risk and achieve efficiencies through shared resources and dedicated management.
The co-operative’s purpose-built storage facility opened in 2021, featuring two 3,000 square-metre coolstores with capacity for 8,000 tonnes of seed, complete with office facilities, weighbridge, and tunnel house for winter grow-outs.
The centrally located facility has eliminated the previous inefficient transportation cycle, where seed was harvested in mid-Canterbury, transported to Timaru for storage and cutting, then returned to mid-Canterbury growers. This streamlined approach delivers significant time and cost savings whilst reducing environmental impact through decreased truck movements.
The co-operative continues to build on this success, with increased business confidence from grower customers requiring expansion of storage capacity and supporting a ten-year expansion plan.
The Innovation Award recognises a person or company that has introduced innovative technology and/or farming methods in their operation. It forms part of the broader Potato Industry Awards programme, which aims to promote excellence within New Zealand’s potato industry whilst raising public awareness of the value, versatility, and benefits of potatoes.
The Potato Seed Co-operative Limited [JG1] Board of Directors comprises: Michelle Pye, Daniel Lovett, Ross Hewson, John Jackson and Nick Tayler. The shareholders are:
- Pye Group Limited
- Tayler and Sons Limited
- Belpher Farm Limited
- May Brothers Farming Limited
- Lovett Family Farms Limited
- Hewson Farms (NZ) Limited
- Crichel Down Potatoes Limited
- McFarlane Agriculture Limited
- Webster Farming Limited
- Acton Fields Limited
- Waipopo Farm Limited
- Pye Produce Limited