VEGETABLE SUPPLIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 245, 27 July 1943, Page 5

VEGETABLE SUPPLIES.

MARKET GARDENERS CONFER. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 26. The opinions of the Dominion Council of Commercial Growers on the major problems facing the market gardening industry to-day, were expressed in a series of resolutions arrived at after a three-day conference in Wellington. Delegates, including Chinese, attended from all parts of New Zealand. The- conference protested against fixing a ceiling rate for vegetables without a guaranteed minimum, thus depriving the grower of tlie advantage gained when higher prices were ruling; but at the same time affording him no protection against uneconomic prices. The conference approved tlie principles of stabilisation, while regretting that costs had greatly increased between the outbreak of war and the introduction of stabilisation. To conform with stabilisation the conference agreed that the contract system of growing vegetables was the most satisfactory, provided that a satisfactory eeenomic price Avas paid to growers; that grading was carefully defined before any contracts or prices were agreed upon; that practical men were appointed to negotiate with growers; and that general conditions were subject to review by district advisory, committees as circumstances warranted, and at least annually. Basis for Contract Prices. It was requested that if the practice of fixing minimum prices was continued, growers be at once notified of the prices fixed for all produce for the 1943-44 season so that sowing and planting could he carried out on a satisfactory basis. In fixing contract prices, it was suggested that these be based on the cost of production of vegetables grown under Government vegetable projects. The conference asked that no ceiling prices for vegetables be determined without first negotiating with growers’ representatives, and in such cases where ceiling prices were fixed without a guaranteed minimum, these be equivalent to 100_pei’ cent, above the cost of production. For any system of grading which might be introduced, the conference asked that this incorporate a grading appeal authority, consisting of a grower, a wholesaler, a retailer, and a Government official other than the grader.