Meet our South Island seed potato growers

"I have no doubt Morgan Laurenson will continue to be on hand to share and support our mutual successes and challenges as we go forward. Knowing this today is even more important to me and my family, as I look forward to the next generation (Hamish and Matt) taking over the reins.  

We truly value the friendly and trustworthy relationship the Morgan Laurenson team provides.”

Bill Foster, General Manager of Morgan Laurenson, oversees my seed production from the start. He sources original G2 seed stock for me to reproduce and supply G5 PT Certified stock to his clients.

The team from Morgan Laurenson stays in contact with me regarding what is happening ‘in the field’ here and play a key role when liaising between me as a seed grower and the fresh market growers at the consumer end. The company positions itself in the marketplace as ‘from seed to plate’ and it is exactly that - involved from the start right through to the finish.”

"Jo and I see the relationship we have with the ML team today as reminiscent of the one our family had with the late Barney O’Connor, Bill Foster’s predecessor, was described by many as ‘simply a pleasure’ to deal with, so for us, that legacy continues.

Knowing the Morgan Laurenson team always have our well-being as growers in mind, we are both keen to accept their invitation to meet the whole team in Palmerston North and to see for ourselves the company’s highly innovative, sustainable and eco-friendly processing factory.”

We have found our dealings with them are genuine and they always take our well-being as growers into account. We appreciate that Bill visits us from Palmerton North and is happy to meet at our office in our work shed, or wherever we might be working on the day. That flexibility, and the company’s willingness to listen to our concerns and act on them, is a big plus for us.”

We went on to discuss how I would manage the tissue culture laboratory where potato plantlets would multiply under sterile conditions and be placed in a growth chamber until ready to plant into the tunnel house. Both of us truly value the relationship we have with Bill and his staff, along with his dedicated group of seed potato growers who go on to grow the ‘minitubers’ we produce."

Morgan Laurenson have been successful in tendering for and commercialising the following varieties - 'Pacific', 'White Delight', 'Crop22', 'Kiwitea', 'Moonlight', Purple Passion('Crop32'), 'Summer Delight', 'Crop80' and White Beauty 'Crop39'.

The PFR potato breeding programme focuses on breeding and developing new varieties that are sustainable using less fertiliser, water and resistant to pest and diseases. Morgan Laurenson have been proactive and responsive to these goals in their evaluation and commercialisation of our material. The company actively works with PFR research teams including breeding, postharvest and agronomy and is generous in supplying potato material for research projects and clinical trials. In addition Morgan Laurenson have provided market insight to PFR. The company arranges grower trials of advanced PFR Potato lines, collects data and has in house quality testing to assist commercialisation decisions for these new lines. The PFR researchers and scientists have open and regular communication with the company.

Collaborations between the two partners have included International Year of the potato promotional events and hosting industry field days on grower properties.