An oversupply of potatoes in Western Australia is driving several South West growers out of the industry.

Farmers were dealt a blow in February this year when an exotic pest — the tomato potato psyllid — was found in Western Australia.

The pest detection led to restrictions on exports of the entire state's potato crop to the east, resulting in an oversupply of potatoes in WA.

It came after a tough year in 2016 for growers, with the closure of the Smith's Snackfood Company crisp manufacturing plant in Canningvale and deregulation of the potato industry.

For Busselton farmer Joe Mercuri, it became too much.

"It's probably the last, final nail in the coffin to give it up," he said.

"I think it's getting a little bit too hard to do it all."

After 26 years in the industry, Mr Mercuri made the tough decision to walk away.

He recently ploughed his final crop of potatoes back into the soil, because he calculated it would cost more to harvest, transport and store them than he would make in the current market.

Advertising campaign asks shoppers to buy spuds

The Potato Growers' Association of WA is launching a new advertising campaign in a bid to prevent other growers from meeting the same fate as Mr Mercuri.

The association's executive officer, Simon Moltoni, said he hoped the campaign would encourage WA consumers to eat more local spuds, and ease the glut.

"Any bump in sales achieved from this is critical to our members," Mr Moltoni said.

"Our members are doing it pretty tough at the moment and unfortunately our little industry has been in the news for all the wrong reasons."

Mr Moltoni said he knew of a handful of South West growers who had decided to stop growing potatoes.

The Potato Marketing Corporation (PMC) used to take care of advertising and this is the first campaign for the industry since deregulation.

A field of potatoes that Joe Mercuri ploughed back into the soil. ( ABC News: Roxanne Taylor )

It has been funded using money from the Government's adjustment fund, along with additional contributions from growers.

Campaigns by the PMC in the 1990s like 'What, no potato?', while memorable, did not do much to boost local sales.

But it is hoped this campaign will do better.

"We want to inform or remind the consumers of the health benefits of eating potatoes, particularly fresh West Australian potatoes, and that they should be eaten every day," Mr Moltoni said.

Grower not convinced ads will solve problem

But not everyone is convinced by the ad plan.

"WA can only sustain so much tonnes per week, they can only use so much, so it's not going to really make too much of a difference," Mr Mercuri said.

It is not known when interstate exports of potatoes will resume, because a national agreement on biosecurity testing still needs to be reached.

The Department of Agriculture and Food said it had devised protocols but had not received agreeance from its interstate counterparts yet.

But there could be some good news on the horizon, with the PGA hoping to ease pressure by sending product overseas if it secures State Government support.

But for now, WA shoppers are being asked to load up on local spuds.