GIANT SPUDS AT FEDERATION SQUARE TO MARK INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE POTATO
Giant potatoes will call Federation Square home for the next month as part of Victoria’s celebrations marking the International Year of the Potato. At Federation Square today, Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said that the International Year of the Potato was a great time to recognise the importance of Victoria’s potato industry.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Giant potatoes will call Federation Square home for the next month as part of Victoria’s celebrations marking the International Year of the Potato.
At Federation Square today, Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said that the International Year of the Potato was a great time to recognise the importance of Victoria’s potato industry.
Mr Helper said the Federation Square artwork, created by Gippsland sculptor John Mutsaers, included five giant potatoes with forks, measuring up to four-and-a-half metres and weighing up to two-and-a-half tonnes each.
“The humble potato is an integral part of the global food system and it is vital for agriculture, the global economy and world food security,” Mr Helper said.
“In Victoria alone the potato industry is worth more than $380 million annually and regional Victoria is a leading supplier of processed potatoes for companies such as Pepisco, Arnotts and McCains. Victoria also produces certified seed potatoes and fresh market potatoes.
“Victorian scientists from the Department of Primary Industries are also leading cutting-edge research into reducing disease in potatoes with potential benefits for the potato industry worldwide.
“Potatoes are an important food source in developing countries and are the world’s number one non-grain food commodity, with international production reaching 370 million tonnes in 2007.
“It is great that through art we can highlight the importance of the potato industry globally.
“The sculpture has taken six months to complete and the potatoes are cast from 20 million year-old volcanic rock, found locally in the Gippsland area, a key Victorian potato growing area.”
Mr Mutsaers, a painter and sculptor based near Moe, said the forked potatoes symbolised the human talent to farm and cultivate but also the ability to share food with each other.
“The sculpture is in response to the International Year of the Potato but also in response to the very large potato growing area in Gippsland,” Mr Mutsaers said.
Mr Mutsaers said a second stage was currently being considered to provide additional potato sculptures for other towns in the Gippsland potato district to link them together.
The sculpture will be displayed in Federation Square until early June and will then be permanently displayed outside the “Spud Shed” in Trafalgar on a six-metre concrete plate.
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