Health authorities are urging people to get their russett potato nutrition from an organic farm as the country continues to face a food crisis.
Health authorities are advising people to use organic russettes and eat the russetts without the herbicide, which is often used on potatoes as an herbicide.
Rising demand for russette potatoes is due to the introduction of new varieties in Australia and Europe and there is a shortage of the crop due to its high price.
The Federal Government has declared a national emergency on the potato shortage.
Health Minister Michael McCormack said the urgent situation meant farmers needed to be careful about where and how they grew the rusetts and that farmers could still grow the crop without the chemical.
“We’re just going to say that if they’re organic, they can grow them,” Mr McCormack told ABC Radio Adelaide.
“If they’re not organic, we don’t want them growing them.”
Mr McCormack also said russeteers could also be used to create a natural soil supplement, but the Minister did not say whether organic rusetes would be safe for people to eat.
The government has also started distributing a special russeta-flavoured capsule containing 10 grams of russeratin to the public.
Mr McCormacks said ruseteers were also a good source of vitamin C.
“I don’t know that I would go as far as saying that russers are safe, because it’s a vitamin, but it’s something you can eat, so there’s a good benefit there,” he said.
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