TO AVOID WASTE

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 102, 30 April 1921, Page 6

TO AVOID WASTE

SURPLUS POTATOES

STARCH AND FLOUR PROPOSALS.

GOVERNMENT INQUIRIES.

During last jyear a bumper crop of potatoes was obtained, exceeding the Dominion requirements by many thousands of tons. Owing to the prohibition of importation imposed by the Commonwealth of Australia on the ground that potato disease was prevalent in this country, no outlet, for the, surplus crop in that direction was available. Market conditions were favourable in Vancouver and San Francisco, but trial shipments eenfc to,.these ports were on arrival condemned owing to the presence of tuber moth. Under these circumstances, the question of utilising the enrpius potatoes for other purposes, such as the making of potato flour and starch, was considered by the Department of Industries and Commerce. Tests were made by a leading baker to ascertain how far potatoes could be used in the manufacture of bread, but, unforjhinately, this means of utilising the potatoes was not found to be of much benefit, in that the added cost of'manufacture of bread containing a large proportion of potatoes putweighed the advantage of using cheap potatoes. It was also found that there was considerable danger of the bread becoming sour, and, furthermore, the general adoption of patent yeast in bread-making now renders the inclusion of potatoes unnecessary. , Attention was then given by thie Department to the utilisation of potatoes for the purpose of making potato flour and starch. In regard to starch, it was ascertained that for laundry work starch made from first quality rice is required, and that potato starch is not suitable for this purpose. Information from the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London is now to hand regarding the manufacture of potato flouri in England, and this goes very fully into the matter. It appears that the manufacture of potato flour was generally adopted in England during the war period, and the following figures havp been submitted relating to the output of an eight unit factory at Rochester for the week ended 3rd October, 1918 :— Raw potatoes handled, 39 tons 18 cwt. 2 qnarters; dried potatoes pro T duced, 8 tons 14cwt 2 quarters 161b. Ratio: 5.7 p.c.

All operating and overhead costs, £392 12s sd. : .

Cost of raw potatoes, 4.57 tofts at £6 per ton, £27.44 j- cost of production, £17.45..

Cost of producing 1 ton dried potatoes, £44.89. ,

No figures are available showing the price received for the dried potatoes, which were supplied to flournnUers for gristing purposes, but it has been ascertained 1 that on 22nd December, 1920, the Ministry of Food had some hundreds of tons of dried potatoes in stock! ' far which difficulty was being experienced in obtaining £10 per ton. The selling price shows an actual loss of £34.89 per tori on cost of manufacture, but no, doubt the selling price was much higher at the time the goods wore produced in 1918. With raw potatoes costing £6 pcl 1 ton, and operating and overhead charges on a war basis, a high cost of production was inevitable, and due allowance must be made for these abnormal factors when estimating the,cost of producing potato flour in New Zealaaid „to-day. The Department of * Industries and Commerce has communicated the full information'received to the potato producing interests of New Zealand, who aa-e desirous ofl preventing a repetition, of lust year's waste 1 on account of the lack of market and inability to make economic use of the potatoes. , -i