SURPLUS VEGETABLES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 47, 5 December 1945, Page 3

SURPLUS VEGETABLES

MARKETED BY GOVERNMENT , EFFECT OF CANCELLATION OF U.S. CONTRACTS (PA) WELLINGTON, Dec. 4. “Will the Minister of Marketing explain why certain growers are prohibited from marketing their vegetables, and are thus left no option but to plough them in? Is the Minister aware that one grower of carrots in the Hastings district is in that position with 11 acres, and is the Minister aware that vegetables in cities are apparently in short supply, and that consequently the prices being charged are exorbitant and beyond the purses of the rank and file of the people. Will the Minister take steps to prevent this unnecessary wastage of food supplies?” This urgent question was asked in the House of Representatives to-day by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo). . __ The Minister of Marketing (the Hon. B. Roberts) said there was nothing to prevent any grower in the Hastings district from marketing carrots, as suggested by the member for Waitomo. The only vegetables under contract to the Internal Marketing Division which were now ready for harvesting were cabbages and beetroot, which were in surplus through the cancellation oi American orders over the last three weeks. . It was possible, the Minister continued, that certain vegetables just coming into production were bringing good market prices, but there were huge quantities of cabbage, potatoes, beetroot and lettuce being sold at excheap wholesale prices. These cheap wholesale prices were not being immediately reflected in 1 lie retail trade, lud, the Minister said he could assure Iho member for Waitomo llnil the Internal Marketing Division was taking every stop to ensure thal llie public received those vegetables at rates considerably lower t han the fixed ceiling prices. Some shops were featuring full supplies of very cheap cabbages, cauliflowers, peas, etc., as a result of contracts made by the Internal Marketing Division. The Government was opposed to any unnecessary wastage of foodstuffs, as was evidenced by its efforts to spread those surpluses, to consumers so long as there was any demand. The division was under contract with many growers to take vegetables when they matured, and if after supplying Iho full needs of the market there was no outlet for the vegetables, the division would compensate its contract growers. The Americans were paying for those vegetables for which they had contracted, but which they were unable to uplift through the diversion of ships. Mr F.W. Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga) said lie could produce evidence that substantial areas of vegetables had been ploughed in. Mr J. Thorn (Government, Thames): The Honourable Member should be ploughed in.