The peak lobby group for poppy growers in Tasmania, says plans to grow opium poppies in the Northern Territory are "unnecessary", because there's plenty of land and farmers willing to expand the industry in Tasmania.
On Friday, ABC Rural revealed that TPI Enterprises had successfully trialled the pharmaceutical crop near Katherine and in the Douglas Daly region, and is now seeking permission to grow up to 500 hectares on Tipperary Station.
Growing poppies in the north would end Tasmania's long standing monopoly of Australia's poppy industry.
President of Poppy Growers Tasmania, Glynn Williams, says reports of a supply shortage in Tasmania have been greatly exaggerated.
He says Tasmanian farmers can supply all three poppy companies with the yields needed to meet market demand.
"There are questions for TPI on why it would want to bother going so far away, when in fact there's a surplus of land in Tasmania," he said.
"There's a surplus of land in Tasmania to grow poppies which is not marginal, it's in very good shape.
"There's a number of important agronomic factors why poppies have done so well in Tasmania, but there's also social and political reasons as well."
Tasmania will produce around 30,000 hectares of poppies this season.
If you missed last week's story on the Tipperary poppy plan click here.