POTATO-GROWING IN ASHBURTON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27097, 21 July 1953, Page 8

POTATO-GROWING IN ASHBURTON

“ AT LEAST 1200 ACRES HOPED FOR”

BOARD CHAIRMAN SPEAKS TO PRODUCERS

‘The board hopes that at least 1200 acres of potatoes will be grown in the Ashburton district this year, compared with the approximate 850 acres grown last year,” said the chairman of the Potato Board (Mr F. G. Jurgens) at a meeting of main crop potato growers last evening. Mr Jurgens was accompanied by Mr M. P. H. Rousham, the executive officer of the board. Mr Jurgens requested growers to sign their contracts early in the season.

After giving a brief outline of the history of the Potato Board, Mr Jurgens announced to the meeting the new opening price of £l7 a ton. “The board was set up to serve both the grower and the consumer,” he said, “and to give 100 per cent, service it must get the full co-opera-tion of all the growers. Within the last 12 months there have been powers using all kinds of means to break up the iboard. If we can get the cooperation of growers they will not succeed.”

In reply to a question, Mr Jurgens said that Aucklanders, especially, and King Edward potatoes would probably stay at a higher price this season than many of the newer varieties for two reasons: first, because they were more costly to produce; and second, because they were more popular on the market. It was very difficult to get seed for the lesser-known types in the North Island, he said, although the growers would be pleased to'use them if they could be obtained. It was realised that the Aucklander was not the whole answer but it was a very fine eating potato and buyers in the North Island would not take anything else if they could get Aucklanders.