DUNEDIN VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 14

DUNEDIN VIEW

"HOPELESSLY INADEQUATE"

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

DUNEDIN, March 10,

Neither growers nor merchants have much cause for jubilation at the decision of the Federal Government to permit the importation of a limited quantity of New Zealand potatoes into Australia, according to statements made to a reporter by a representative of the trade. The limitation of imports to 250 tons a week is regarded as hopelessly inadequate from the point of view of merchants on both sides of the Tasman.

"Two hundred and fifty tons will be like a drop in the ocean to the Australian market," said the merchant, "and it will be of practically no material benefit to the New Zealand market. It is doubtful whether such a slight addition to the. stocks in Australia will have any effect on the exorbitant rates ruling for tubers in the Commonwealth and the withdrawal of such quantities cannot be expected to do much to improve the price of potatoes in this country."

He also said that the potato market in New Zealand had lately been buoyed up by anticipations of a new outlet for local stocks, but merchants would now be far from cfixious to operate and it was probable that there would be a weakening in the market from its present level of about £8 to £9 a ton. Current rates for potatoes on the Australian markets range from £17 to £22 10s a ton.