POTATOES FOR EXPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 25, 31 January 1927, Page 4

POTATOES FOR EXPORT.

AUSTRALIAN EMBARGO. A CANTERBURY PROTEST. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) TIMARU, Saturday. Tie prohibition of the importation of New Zealand potatoes to Australia was discussed at a meeting of the Produce Committee of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. The following resolution was carried: — "That a telegram be sent to the ActingPrime Minister expressing the consternation felt in South Canterbury e.t the embargo imposed by the Commonwealth Government on New Zealand potatoes, and that the New Zealand Government be urged to make urgent and strong representation to the Federal Government, requesting that it should at least modify the arbitrary action taken.

"That a copy of this resolution be telegraphed to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. with a request for its immediate support."

A cablegram from Melbourne on Thursday stated that tlie Federal quarantine authorities had decided that the importation of New Zealand potatoes to Australia will be prohibited from February 15, owinji to the presence in them or corky scab. WHAT IS CORKY SCAB? NOT A SERIOUS DISEASE. In discussing the present position the Lytteltnn "Times'' says: A few years ago the Australian authorities decided to prohibit New Zealand potatoes from landing in Australia, the reason given bein£ that they were liable to introduce scab into the country. However, about a couple of years ago this prohibition was removed and NewZealand potatoes were allowed to land iii Australia, but stringent regulations were made with regard to their importation. The potatoes had to be packed in new sacks and each sack had to be branded with the grower's name. The potatoes had to be examined by Government inspectors in New Zealand and certified free from disease, and they had also to be accompanied by a certificate to the effect that they hail been grown on land that had been free from certain diseases for a stated period. In addition to this the potatoes were liable to inspection, and, if found to be affected with disease, to rejection at the Australian port to which they were consigned. It was under these regulations that the trade with Sydney was carried on last year, and out of the total quantity of 20,000 tons not "one ton was rejected on account of disease. During the year one small lot of twenty-five tons was sent to Melbourne, but it was rejected, allegedly because disease was found in the tubers. This rejection at the Victorian capital was rather significant in view of the fact that the Victorian Potato Growers' Association had been prominent in the movement to have New Zealand potatoes banned altogether.

The disease known as corky scab is not a very serious one, and it does not affect the eating quality of potatoes. There are probably very much worse potato diseases known in Australia. Last year, when efforts were being made to prohibit New Zealand potatoes from landing in Australia, Christehurch merchants expressed the opinion that, while corky scab was the reason given, the real reason was the desire of the Victorian and Tasmanian growers to have the Sydney market to themselves. They obtained good prices for their potatoes last year, but the re- ! turns would probably have been much | better if no New Zealand potatoes had I been shipped to Sydney.

Com.tig at the present time, when efforts are being made to induce the Xew Zealand Government to protect in the interests of the wheat-growers of the country by imposing a dumping duty on Australian flour, the decision of the Commonwealth Government to protect the interests of the Australian potato growers is rather instructive. There is no suggestion that New Zealand potatoes were dumped into Sydney last year. In fact the price at which potatoes were sold for shipment to Sydney was actually higher throughout the season than the price at which they were sold for consumption in New Zealand.