MANAWATU POTATOES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 34, 3 November 1934, Page 14

MANAWATU POTATOES

Improved Quality Needed GROWERS’ CONFERENCE Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, November 2. The value of certified seed potatoes was stressed by Air. R. B. Tenncnt, director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, wuen speaking at a meeting of pptato-growers at the showgrounds, when preMOsais were advanced by the Alanawutu Gram Aieichants’ Association to improve the quality of potatoes grown in the Alanawutu and Rangitikei districts. Air. Tenncnt said Alanawatu potatoes wore obviously in bad repute through bad lines being placed on the market. It behoved every farmer interested in the growing of potatoes to pay the utmost attention to the \ correcting of the existing troubles. , . The South Island grower endeavoured to. make his produce attractive to the buyers in an endeavour to extend the market in the north and In Australia. The northern growers had a splendid opportunity to develop the industry because they had two months of the market before the South Island produce reached it. This chance could not be used unless proper grading was adopted. Dominion’s Lax Rules. The speaker advised all farmers to use nothing but certified potato seed, for many of the present problems were the resuit of the use of seed which had not been certified. This district could grow just as good a potato as the South Island, provided adequate care was taken in cultivation and nothing but certified seed was sown, lie said. New Zealand had the most lax regulations of any country as far as table potatoes were concerned, he stated. In America table potatoes were wrapped in brown paper before beinjj tjaced on the market, and in Scotland table potatoes were never placed in bags, barrels being used. The chairman. Air. AV. I’. Lindsay, pointed out that it was the poor quality product which set the price for the district crop. At present outside merchants did not have confidence in Alanawatu and Rangitikei potatoes, The meeting decided to appoint a committee consisting of two merchants, representatives, four growers and two representatives of the Department of Agriculture, to go farther into the question and draw up a scheme for submission to the growers.