ONION IMPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 155, 2 July 1937, Page 9

ONION IMPORTS.

PERIOD BETWEEN CROPS. GOVERNMENTAL DECISION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) GISBORNE, Thursday. Acting on the recommendation of the North and South Island advisory committees, the Government has decided to allow the importation of onions, which must arrive in the Dominion between September 15 and November 20, 1937, according to a statement made by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, this afternoon. "In the term* of the Board of Trade (onion) regulations, 1937, the Government hae exercised its powers for the regulation of ealee and purchases of locally-grown onions," said the Minister, "and the question of importation* has been given eeriou* consideration. A eurvey of etocke held in the Dominion and a knowledge of the poor keeping quality of a considerable proportion of locally grown onions, make it abundantly clear that wholesale etocke will be exhausted toward the end of August or early in September. It is apparent, therefore, that importations are necessary to bridge the period from September until the new season's locally-grown produce becomes marketable. "No permits to import will be necessary, but in order that the Government and the advisory committees may be kept informed of the onion position generally, the Government requires importers to advise the Department of Agriculture, Wellington, of the total quantity for which orders have been placed by each importer, the country of origin and the vessel by which the produce is being ehlpped. "The Government considers that tne total quantity of onione necessary to meet local requirements from tne beffinninjr of September until mid3SS& is approximately 2000 tons," concluded the Minister. "This information will no doubt be of valiie to importers in arranging purchases.