GLUT OF POTATOES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 91, 11 January 1929, Page 6

GLUT OF POTATOES

EXPORT TO. AUSTRALIA. ’» ■ Dominion Special Service. .. Auckland, January 10. There is a glut of potatoes in Auckland. Earlier in the, week they were being sold at from ss.' to 6s. a bag, but to-day they dropped 2s. a bag. The reasons advanced are'that, in addition to an abundant season, consumers are .more able to depend upon their own ';!< crops and the demand is consequently >4*p/l'ess. .' “We told growers before Christmas ■ to go easier as there were too many coming in,” said Mr. E. A. ' ’■* Perkins. “Large quantities' arrived, however, and the market has not re-, covered since.” Although the abundant LvJ crops would compensate growers in a i measure he did not think they could produce at the present price to receive anything like >m adequate return. So ; ' low was the market that something had ~ to be done. His firm had accordingly j telegraphed to the Government, asking permission ■ to export from 25 to 50 tons i to Australia, where the. market was p. good.. If this could be accomplished it -s! would mean much to the farmers'. He i did not think there would be much difficulty in getting them into Sydney pro- — vided they were clean. Over £2O was .now being paid in,Sydney for potatoes. The auctioneer of another firm said he thought the glut was only temporary and after this month the market would ‘ be" firmer.