N.Z. Potatoes Could Have World Market

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30678, 18 February 1965, Page 1

N.Z. Potatoes Could Have World Market

(From Our Own Reporter) AUCKLAND, February 17. Newly-developed processing methods could put New Zealand potatoes on the world market, Mr C. M. Driver, of the Crop Research Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, told the New Zealand Science Congress today.

“From 100,000 acres, enough potatoes could be produced to give an export income of £4om to £6om. Some hard selling would be necessary, but the possibilities are there,” he said.

The net return to the farmer from potatoes, given a suitable export market, would be greater than from any type of pastoral farming, he said.

For example, it was difficult to get £4O to £5O an acre from dairy farming, yet the net profit from potato growing for export should be from £5O to £lOO an acre.

“By proper management and irrigation, potato crops of not less than 20 tons an acre can be produced regularly, and at a seven-to-one conversion rate to the dried pro-

duct and a world price for the dried product of 2s per lb, the gross export value of the crop would be around £6OO an acre,” Mr Driver said. Increasing the area under crop would give more work for each farm, but the work load had been brought within the farmers’ capacity by improved machinery and an in-

crease in agricultural contracting.

Many North Island pastoral farmers could profitably follow the example of the South and introduce a cropping rotation. To aid such a development, a research station was needed to help in adapting southern methods to northern conditions.