THE POTATO MARKET

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 112, 15 May 1922, Page 8

THE POTATO MARKET

The heavy buying of Canterbury potatoes by southern merchants was responsible for a larger proportion of the crop than usual, being dug early, and deliveries by northern steamers have been ■co heavy that Auckland merchants <lo not heed to buy in the South as they can obtain sufficient supplies ex-wharf. This is the big weakness in the situation, remarks the Christchurch Sun, for southern merchants, with potatoes coming on their hands from early contracts, have little other option but to ship supplies away on the consignment method.- On the face of-things, it looks as though the northern inarketa will be heavily supplied until the end of- June, or perhaps July. If this state of affairs- is the rule, there is little chance of any, decided recovery in prices until this period has elapsed, although ftunctuatipns can be expected. There is certainly a, check on offerings to record since, merchants began to, quote £3 a ton on truoks.. Whether this attitude by gTowers will bo persisted itremains to bo seen. It is hardly likely to continue for any -decided length of time if the yield is really large. It is upon 'varying suppositibnsthat merchants are basing .their policies, and those who are prepared to make forward' purchases have varied ideas of values. Perhaps thoj act may 'not bp without significance that, there are not many who will operate from August onwards. Those growers who decide to pit their supplies in the meantime may obtain some gleam of comfort from this fact.-1