GRAIN AND SEEDS S.I. Potato Season Virtually Over

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30587, 2 November 1964, Page 7

GRAIN AND SEEDS S.I. Potato Season Virtually Over

With supplies of the new season's crop from Pukekohe £ now available, the demand for p South Island main crop ( potatoes has slackened con- * siderably and only odd truck loads have been shipped north 1 in the last week or so. J After a much later start 1 than normal, July instead of t May, it appears as if the marketing period for the South ’ Island crop is almost finished for the season. 1 At the end of last week, large supplies of Pukekohe 1 new potatoes came on to the i Auckland wholesale markets 2 and the price dropped from 30s to 38s a bag at the end , of last week, to 18s to 21s a ■ bag at the end of this week. ■ South Island potatoes also ’ dropped in price on the Auckland markets, from £35 to £4O a ton a week ago, to £3O to £3B a ton last week. Although no definite figures of stocks still on hand are available as yet, it does not appear as if there will be any significant surplus of first grade South Island potatoes this season. There is still a certain type of market for old season’s potatoes to be satisfied, but this is diminishing all the time. Small Seeds The present very dry weather conditions do not make the prospects for a good small seeds harvest appear very bright and it appears as if the stage is already past in light, dry areas for any hopes of a reasonable grass seed harvest. Unless there is some rain in the near future the crops on heavier types of land are also likely to be affected. As far as white clover crops are concerned, the dry conditions have not affected the clover market because of the very good harvests in 1963 and 1964. There are still ample stocks of clover within the country and given rain in the not too distant future, prospects for a reasonable harvest are still quite good. Overseas inquiry for small seeds still remains quiet, with very little business being transacted.

As a guide to growers, the president of the North Canterbury Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association (Mr M. J. Goodwin), announced the • following price range. Ryegrass.—Mother perennial, 18s a bushel; p.p., 17s 6d. Mother Hl, 21s a bushel. Mother Italian, 21s a bushel. White Clover.—Mother, 2s 9d per lb; p.p., 2s Bd. Montgomery Red Clover.— Mother, 3s per lb; uncertified, 2s 9d. Cowrass.—Mother, 3s 3d per lb; uncertified, 3s. Lucerne.—Mother, 4s 9d per lb; uncertified, 3s 9d. Cocksfoot.—Mother grasslands, 3s 9d per lb; uncertified, 2s 9d. Mr Goodwin emphasised that values quoted for ryegrass and white clover were based on a 99/90 purity and germination and free from Rumex species to comply with the United Kingdom Seeds Act.