USE OF POTATOES

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 270, 13 August 1942, Page 4

USE OF POTATOES

Apportionment Of Present Supplies REDUCED RATION FOR ARMED FORCES Measures to curtail the consumption of potatoes were announced last night by the Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr. Sullivan. The potato ration to the armed forces is to be reduced, and householders are urged to plant any table potatoes they might have for the production of a crop in their kitchen gardens. The cooking of potatoes in their jackets is also suggested.

“Since my previous announcement regarding the control of the sale and distribution of potatoes some 10 days ago, a complete survey has been made of the stocks held throughout the Dominion,” said Mr. Sullivan. "Unfortunately, this has revealed that the supply of potatoes is wholly inadequate to meet the demands of the armed forces and the civil population during the next three months, and accordingly drastic measures to curtail consumption are necessary. “The present position has developed partly as a result of the comparative failure of the North Island crops in the early part of the year in the RangJtikei and West Coast districts. This necessitated drawing on the South Island crop of potatoes some six weeks to two months earlier than usual. On top of this, the requirements of the Allied Forces became greater than was anticipated. When this became apparent, efforts were made to purchase potatoes in various other countries, but conditions everywhere were found to be similar to our own. Australia, tor instance, has already approached us with a view to obtaining supplies or potatoes from this Dominion to overcome a complete shortage of supplies in the Commonwealth. ‘•I can assure the public,. however, that no effort will be spared to procure supplies from overseas, but unfortunately even if a source of supply can be found, we could not, for obvious reasons, take such quantities into our calculations till the shipments had actually boon landed in this countiy. “The only course therefore open to us to meet the situation is to apportion out the available supplies as equitably as possible between the Armed Forces and such essential services as public and private hospitals, old people s homes, and so on. Under this arrangement, the ration to the Armed Forces will have to be cut very drastically, as it is only by this means that limited supplies can be made available to the civilian services mentioned. “With a view to avoiding a recurrence of the present position next year, the Government is planning for increased production in 1943, and this has necessitated the 'diversion of a substantial quantity of table potatoes to seed purposes, further accentuating the problem. It would, however, be manifestly impossible at this juncture to estimate what supplies would be forthcoming next year, this being purely dependent on seasonal conditions. I would therefore urge that all householders should plant potatoes. by denying themselves now and utilizing any table potatoes they might have for the production of a crop in their kitchen gardens. In this way they can not only assist themselves, but also help materially In the furtherance of our war production effort. Further information in regard to this aspect, and as to the best method of obtaining good results will 'be published immediately by my colleague, the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes, Mr. Polson.

“Iti addition, it is suggested that further economies could be effected by cooking potatoes ‘in their jackets’ in order to avoid as far as possible the wastage that results from peeling.”