SHIPPING POSITION CAUSES CONCERN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25537, 3 July 1948, Page 2

SHIPPING POSITION CAUSES CONCERN

FEDERATED FARMERS’ DISCUSSION

From Our Own Reporter

TIMARU, July 2. Concern at the critical shipping position as it affected the potato industry was expressed in* a remit adopted by the Timaru-St. Andrews branch of Federated Farmers this evening for transmission to the South Canterbury provincial executive. Referring to the cancellation of shipping orders, Mr E. F. Porter said that Auckland merchants ordered potatoes to be shipped on specified boats, and if these did • ot arrive on schedule, their selling potential was lost, for people did not consume potatoes that they had previously foregone. • Mr Porter said that in response to appeals by the Government at planting time to grow extra potatoes, every person with a few square yards had complied with the request, so that there was now a surplus of potatoes. Because there had been a “bumper” crop, growers were faced with the problem of being not able to market fair average quality tubers. When there was a good crop, buyers demanded the best potato and would not accept those which were fit for hjiman consumption but below fair average quality standard. This type of potato, which was a part of the crop and covered by production costs, was absolutely unsaleable, and took away the margin of profit to which growers were entitled.

Where appeals were made to produce more, provision should first, be made to handle crops, said Mr W. H. Orbell, who the adoption of a scheme controlling growing, as suggested by Mr W. Fletcher, of Willowbridge. The present position was the result of the appeals to growers, he said.

A critical position had been reached in the Hook district, said the chairman (Mr A. C. Shaw). It seemed that a good deal of money was going to be wasted.