POTATO GRADING

Evening Post, Issue 58, 9 March 1936, Page 3

POTATO GRADING

LOCAL COMPLAINT

MANY SMALL, FEW BIG

Where potatoes are bought by the sack there are always some smallex than others, buj. a small shopkeeper whose case was brought to the notice of "The Post" seems to have been exceptionally unfortunate. Fully ohethird of the sack consisted of potatoes smaller than an inch and, a half across their ' widest part. While a large potato may retain its dignity with a fork hole in it, the remnants of pygmies suffering in that way look very insignificant when peeled and the damaged parts cut out. About onefourth of the small potatoes in thsi sack complained of had holes in them, or were otherwise damaged.

The chief complaint, both the shopkeeper (a woman) and the friend who bought the tubers for her in the market is, however, that these potatoes, which would be destined for pig feed on a farm, were skilfully and very obviously concealed in the very centre of the bag, so that the noble bulges in top, bottom, and sides of the sack gave quite a wrong impression of its contests as a whole. During the last six weeks, this shopkeeper has- received several bags like/this. It; is pointed out that while potatoes are 121b a shilling .(it is not so long ago that they were only 81b for a shilling) such small ones are hard to get rid oi.

Samples of the two sorts of potatoes found in this bag; which were shown a "Post" reporter today, are' interesting. The full-sizedi clean-skinned ones would sell themselves, but the others were pig feed. It is the intention of friends of the shopkeeper in question to bring the attention of the Government to this matter, and see whether the present grading regulations cannot be more strictly observed, or mope definite grading for separate sala cannot be achieved. The opening of the sack, it is pointed out, would not in this case have told the purchaser the truth. . ' /.

Since early in 1932 the New South Wales Minister of Agriculture has been enforcing special regulations for the grading arid' sale of potatoes, which provide for five grades. No 1 grade consists of sound potatoes with similar -varietal characteristics and- a mature skin, reasonably free from, second growth, decay, mechanical injury and greening from exposure,, dirt and other foreign matter, and damage by disease or insects, and shall not weigh less than three ounces. No. 2 grade must comply with No. 1 grade requirements except as to maturity of skin, and may weigh one.and a half ounces. There are also a New Potato Grade, Chat Grade (grown in New South Wales) and Seed Potato Grade, which, shall not weigh less, than one and a quarter ounces. Ninety-five per cent, by weight must comply .with grade standards. No potatoes may ba sold unless they are one of the grades mentioned, and, except. for sale for stock food, they must be contained .in new or clean second-hand covering of good quality. In sales of a cwt or more, the name of the grower and.the territory where grown must appear on the sack in two-inch . letters, in- the case of No. 1 and No. 2 grades,.while if the potatoes have been rebagged, this must be stated, and.the name and address or registered brand of the person, firm, or corporation by whom, or by which the potatoes were rebagged legibly and indelibly marked on the outside of the sack.

It was pointed out by friends of the shopkeeper that she has no ready form of redress, and they considered this a state of affairs that needs remedying.