FOURTEEN FARMS TO CLOSE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 283, 26 August 1944, Page 6

FOURTEEN FARMS TO CLOSE

State Vegetable Areas REDUCED DEMAND FOR ARMED FORCES

A decision to close 14 of the State vegetable production farms after the harvesting of crops next January was announced yesterday by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Roberts., He stated that with the improved war situation these areas were no longer required to meet the needs of the armed forces.

The farms to be closed are Kaikohe, Whangarei, Mangere, Ruakura, Seadown, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Otaki, Harewood, Thames, Totora aud Taieri, representing an aggregate of 1645 acres. The Minister recalled that the services vegetable production areas were commenced in June, 1942, to meet the requirements of our own forces then mobilized in New Zealand and the particular areas had been chosen because of their proximity to military camps. At that time 22 gardens were established, 17 in the North Island and five in the South Island with a total area of 1780 acres. In 1943 the areas were considerably extended in order to meet the urgent demands of American forces then stationed in the country. The number of gardens was raised to 27 with an area of 5181 acres,, though the acreage subsequently cropped was only 517— Change in Demand. As the war situation improved in the Pacific the demand for vegetables altered from a wide range required by troops stationed locally to a smaller range which could be shipped overseas or converted into dehydrated products. As a result vegetable production must now be concentrated near shipping points and dehydration plants and the present decision had been made after the position was reviewed by the Government. The total quantity of vegetables harvested off all State farms up to July 31, 1944, was 21,852 tons. When it was realized that a full range had.been grown including peas and beans which produced only approximately two to three tons an acre, the overall average of over four tons an acre actually accepted by the armed forces or marketed could be considered quite satisfactory. These State gardens had had all the difficulties normally experienced by commercial growers, but in addition they had had particular difficulties due to the fact that they were part of a war . effort undertaken at short notice. Equipment had to be imported, housing provided for employees, managers obtained and labour procured when manpower difficulties were greatest. . . , . The area for production_after effecting the reductions would be 3536 acres, and there would be 13 farms remaining in production. The whole, position of the State, vegetable production areas .would be reviewed again in six months’ time.