Criticism Of Potato Board Answered

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31277, 25 January 1967, Page 6

Criticism Of Potato Board Answered

The Potato Board has ensured an adequate supply of main crop potatoes for many years at reasonable prices, acording to the chairman of the New Zealand Potato Board (Mr I. A. Baxter) in reply to a letter to the editor of “The Press.”

The letter, from J. M. Betts, said: Sir, —Travelling round the countryside speaking to farmers who grow potatoes, I feel that the future of the Potato Board should be gone into and the taxpayers’ money involved should be put to better use. Even better, the farmer should be given a free hand to sell his crop without any ties to the board. I know of two farmers who have grown good potato crops but could not sell them. The Potato Board paid them £lO a ton, and today these potatoes are being buried as there is no market for them. Surely this waste of good basic food should be stopped and the price of potatoes should be heavily reduced. The price of potatoes in the shops today is 6d per lb, or £56 per ton. Where does the £46 between grower and market get to?” This letter was referred to the New Zealand Potato Board for comment and Mr Baxter replied: ‘-There are so many inaccuracies in the letter by J.

M. Betts that a complete report on the Potato Growing Industry Act and its operation would be necessary to cover them all, but the main points of inaccuracy are: “(a) There is no taxpayers' money involved. The growers provide their own funds. “(b) The farmer is completely free to sell any contract potatoes to any authorised wholesaler at any price he likes. “(c) No surplus potatoes were paid for by the Board at £lO a ton. “(d) Potatoes sold on January 19 at 6d per lb, £56 a ton, are produced and sold without any reference to or influence by the New Zealand Potato Board as new potatoes. The Board scheme only operates from March 1 to November 30, the main crop season. .

“J. M. Betts would be well advised to contact members or officers of the board for accurate information before condemning a scheme which has ensured the consumer an adequate supply of main crop potatoes for many years at reasonable prices and at the same time has given stability to the industry at no cost to the taxpayer. “In 1966 there was a world surplus of potatoes but in 1965 New Zealand exported 11,000 tons to Australia," Mr Baxter concluded., .