EXPORT OF SEED POTATOES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 5

EXPORT OF SEED POTATOES

ARGENTINE OUTLET NO EUROPEAN SOURCE OF SUPPLY (SPECIALLY WHITTEN FOB THE PEESS.) [By F. C. KOSSICK, Engineer in Agriculture. Christchurch.] Most potato growers will remember that a lew years ago table potatoes from this country were sent to the Argentine. The firms responsible for the first shipment are said to have made good profit, whereas in the following years export of table potatoes resulted in a huge loss. Whatever the reason for the disaster may have been, from that example, as well as from every statistic, one thing is obvious: exporting table potatoes, and especially exporting them over such a long distance, means to make only one good profit out of four losses! The margin is usually so low that the risk of losing money is far greater than of making

But there is, or, to be correct, was, Mtle country, Holland, which, for the last 20 years, had built up an enormous export trade in seed potatoes all over the world. Naturally this country did not export in years of a glut only, but by means of a thorough organisation and very strict and rigorous rules, the seed potatoes for export were of a superior standard and available year after year in always the same uniformity. Despite the extremely high prices asked for the seed, there was always a ready demand for it. The Netherlands farmers’ organisation went even so far as to send special “potato envoys” to foreign countries. I happened to know several of them. Holland, the same as Poland. Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Denmark, have been exporting many shiploads of seed potatoes to the South Americas in recent years. All those countries are now cut out of the market, anti the South Americas are literally crying out for seed potatoes. I received a letter the other day from a friend of mine, the former Netherlands “potato envoy” to the Argentine and Uruguay, informing me about the situation on the potato market there. He asked me if I thought that seed potatoes and smaller quantities of table potatoes, too, could be obtained in this country for export. If we cannot obtain shipping-space on a New Zealand or British boat (which, owing to currency relations is by far the cheapest way), we know that many American freighters are lying idle because of the declaration of the whole of Europe as a forbidden zone. To bring freight cost further down in the latter case, it could possibly be arranged to, bring either Chilean nitrate 'fertiliser or Mexican sulphate dn the same boat to New Zealand.

There is one other thing I would like to mention: the selecting, grading and bagging of the potatoes have to be done in strictest compliance with the regulations of the importing countries. Otherwise, not only the defect portion, but possibly the whole ship-load is liable to be refused. New Zealand is fortunate enough in being the ■ only country (besides Tasmania and South Africa, which do not count as competitors) in the Southern Hemisphere, where potatoes will thrive for a long time before becoming degenerate. In South America, for instance, the climatic conditions bring about the de--generation of potatoes in a very short time, and that is the principal reason why those countries are buying every year such huge quantities of seed and table potatoes. New Zealand, lying in the Southern Hemisphere, does not run the risks of European export countries, which are forced to bring their cargoes over the Equator. To sum up, may I say that a very big and sound export trade in' seed and perhaps table potatoes, too, could be established between this country and thp South Americas, and that the markets there, depleted of their former purveyors, are open to the country which grasps the opportunity. But it must be well understood that this is not only an opportunity to get rid of a seasonal glut, but a chance to broaden New Zealand’s export trade for future years, and of getting good foreign currency! Therefore, every effort should be made, and if necessary even by means of an export subsidy (do not forget that we get pesos for it) to secure those markets. That other varieties of potatoes, appealing to the taste of our new customers, will have to be sown in future is probable, but remember t hit in complying with the needs of those customers we also make them more dependent on our supplies. An organisation, having at its head the former Netherlands potato-envoy, and one of the biggest potato exporters of another country, now under German occupation, has been set up in Buenos Aires, in order to import seed and table potatoes fronrwhatever source they can get them. I hope that New Zealand will not miss that opportunity.

MORE PRODUCTION

(To the Agricultural Editor, "The Press.”) Sir, —Your correspondent, “More Production,” steps bravely, but perhaps rather unnecessarily, on the high note of aggressiveness—“armchair critics,” "the last penny,” “Does Mr Shand realise the British Empire is at war?” While regarding Mr Shand balefully as something beyond the pale, his indignation boils over right off the track. My contention—to put it tersely and baldly—is that urgent requests from Britain for certain specified production in this, her hour of trial, render every. acre of wheat sown in the Dominion'a betrayal of the spirit of Anzac, and a stab in the back for the Empire. Th6re is the cold, clear truth, unpalatable perhaps, as the truth often is, but none the less the truth, as far as one humble individual (and not too humble) can with crystal clearness see it. With “N.M.F.” the case is different. He, too, shows a reluctance to face up to this* but I suspect deliberately, and as an alternative descends to tactics of personal attack along the lines of my calling, charging ulterior motives of the “axe to grind” type. As this comes from the shelter of securely hidden identity I need not waste space recording my natural reaction to.lt. • * Now, to conclude, if I may, with two recent quotations from our Minister for Industries. The first one is from a Queensland paper. “Mr Sullivan said he was anxious to promote co-ordination and mutual helpfulness between Australia and New . Zealand in all fields” (wheat fields? I wonder), “so that the two countries should function as one defence unit, and he had found that sentiment predominant im the Commonwealth also.” Words!! “The Press” of Friday says on Mr Sullivan’s return to New Zealand; “High appreciation of the courtesy and consideration shown him in Australia and of the universal willingness to help New Zealand wherever possible , . . was expressed by-Mr Sullivan. An example of this was the Offer of the Queensland authorities to make available supplies of potash manures to New Zealand, although they were being rationed in Queensland on account of the shortage.” Deeds!! Two patriotisms, one “made, in New Zealand” cheap, glamorous, .and shoddy; the other-forged at Gallipoli strong as steel, giving ungrudgingly each that measure of sacrifice for unity, our only defence.—Yours, etc., • - Y. T. SHAND. . July 21, 1940.