MLA backs spud king's battle

Myalup potato grower Tony Galati has received the backing of Murray Wellington MLA Murray Cowper in his ongoing stoush with the potato regulators.

The Potato Marketing Corporation, which has regulated the industry for more than 70 years, won an injunction in the Supreme Court on Wednesday forcing Mr Galati to stop selling more potatoes than his allocated quota.

But Mr Galati has vowed to ignore the court order and give away potatoes at the opening of his new Spudshed store in the metropolitan area.

Mr Cowper was quick to defend Mr Galati after the injunction was imposed.

"I have backed Tony Galati's public opposition to statutory potato marketing for more than a decade, because as a Liberal, I share his view that this body is a costly, archaic monopoly imposing unnecessary costs and constraints on the industry and WA consumers," Mr Cowper said.

"Under PMC control since 1946, the industry produces the same 30,000 tonnes of potatoes per year today that it did 30 years ago, despite increases in population and major advances in technology and market demand.

"The Premier (Colin Barnett) has indicated he will abandon the PMC after the 2017 State election.

"I believe that this latest costly, malicious legal action by the PMC, provides a strong case for a much earlier shutdown, before this needless conflict with Mr Galati gets even more out of control."

However, Potato Growers Association of WA president Dean Ryan said he was frustrated at misconceptions about the industry.

He said the conflict was needless because Mr Galati should have stuck to a 2013 agreement with the PMC.

"It was Tony's choice," Mr Ryan said.

Mr Ryan agreed deregulation of the industry was unavoidable but growers needed to be protected in the transition.

"Just to flick the switch one day to say it is off doesn't work for us," he said.

After the court decision, Mr Galati said he was not afraid of jail for contempt of court.