‘AUSTRALIA HINDERING EXPORT OF NEW ZEALAND POTATOES’

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29843, 8 June 1962, Page 10

‘AUSTRALIA HINDERING EXPORT OF NEW ZEALAND POTATOES’

Every difficulty was being placed in the way of New Zealand exporting potatoes to Australia, members of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce council complained last evening. Australia was sheltering behind "a disease nonsense" in hindering the entry of New Zealand potatoes, said Mr H. E. Radley—“while last season we dumped 20.000 tons, worth perhaps £14,000 or £15,000,” he said. Hie Australian Minister of Trade (Mr McEwen) bad said last July that although New Zealand potatoes would be allowed into Australia to relieve an expected shortage, Australian growers’ interests would be protected by “strict quarantine measures,” and the stock position would be watched "very carefully” from time to time. Mr Radley said The story, however, was not as simple in practice as the Minister's announcement sounded. Mr Radley said. The Australian Depart-

g ment of Health and Quaranv tine had had no intention of relaxing' its quarantine ex- ° amination. e Mr Radley quoted the fpl>f lowing views of an Austra- .- lian merchant, expressed in November last: g “It will be a very long ’ time before the industry here f will think of touching New d Zealand potatoes again, and t certainly will not accept 0 them if they have to be 0 treated here. ... I feel a very strong move should be •f taken by your Merchants' j Association to endeavour to s allow New Zealand potatoes i to be brought into Australia o on a sensible basis. “Every bag of unwashed - New Zealand potatoes had ir to be retreated on arrival here—but they were put back 1 in the same bags containing ’ any soil, or perhaps an odd - loose potato left in the bag “These bags have been res sold to bag merchants, and s sold to any buyers inter- - ested. Naturally, they will ) go back to the potato- - growing districts that this

- stupid ban is meant to prof tect - "Unless New Zealand potatoes are allowed to come! - in here unhindered, they will! ■ be practically impossible to i sell—unless there is a real shortage because by the ! time they were finally : treated, only the worst class r of dealer in the trade would Ibe interested in handling l them,” the Australian mer- > chant said. > "We should recommend to ! Associated Chambers of Commerce that they keep on > fighting with the Minister ; about this one,” said Mr i Radley. "We should have it on the agenda when Mr McI Ewen comes over.” I Supporting Mr Radley, Mr I D H. Butcher said that : “every difficulty” was being : placed in the way of New I Zealand exporting potatoes to Australia. Mr Radley agreed to make ! his correspondence with the Australian merchant availl able to the chamber, so that the matter could be taken i further.