SHORTAGE OF POTATOES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25954, 7 November 1949, Page 8

SHORTAGE OF POTATOES

MINISTER BLAMES GLUT LAST YEAR

(New Zealand Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 5. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr E. L. Cullen), speaking last evening in Greytown, attributed the present shortage of potatoes to the fact that thousands of tons had rotted in the South Island last year. The total planting of potatoes for which the Internal Marketing Division had contracted last year was 2800 acres more than the previous year, Mr Cullen said. Normally, in the areas which grew early potatoes, the yield was three to five tons an acre. In the Hawke’s Bay district there was a yield of 10 tons to the acre. There were thousands of tons of potatoes in excess o: requirements. Mr Cullen added that he had tried to export potatoes to other countries but the only buyer was the Middle’ East, which would have involved an uneconomic subsidy. He had refused to do that.

Under the contract terms, the Internal Marketing Division had agreed to pay a fair average quality price for potatoes held at the end of November in pits in the S-uth Island In view of climatic conditions the potatoes started to decay, so the matter was discussed with Cabinet. It was agreed that the pay-out would be made in October. A loss of £130.000 was thus incurred by the Internal Marketing Division.