POTATOES DE LUXE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 108, 3 November 1941, Page 8

POTATOES DE LUXE

OFF WITH THE OLD

ON WITH THE NEW

That often painful process known to economists as "the time lag" is affecting the price of potatoes, as every housewife knows today. The interval between the arrival of new potatoes in quantity and the retirement of old potatoes from the mai'ket is a time lag Today new potatoes are selling retail at 5d to 6d per lb, and old potatoes at 3d, or in quantity at 6s for 281b or 11s for 561b lots.

The reason given by the trade for these high prices is a long-delayed season for new potatoes in the North Island sources of supply and exhaustion of the South Island supplies of old table varieties. The notice of a merchant was directed by a representative of "The Post'" to some usual

unappetising, sad-coloured potatoes now coming to table. He replied: "Step this way." So into the store they went. Taking'at random a potato from a sack (there were only about ten of the sacks there), themmerchantt t split it open. It was a good potato, bright flesh and juicy, a potato of size, but on the sprout. "Now that potato," he said, "is worth fully l£d, say, nearer 2d "

"Yes; as dear as fruit. That's the position today. I simply can't get table potatoes from the South Island —they won't quote. I could do with 100 to 200 tons and out they would go as soon as they came in."

"But what are those potatoes over there?" ,

"Ah, we'll look at them." Those potatoes were small' and vigorously sprouted, and when one was cut it lacked crispness and juiciness. "Those potatoes would be used in other times for seed, but they are now being used for the table," said the merchant. "It all results from a backward season; the new potatoes late, and stocks of old ones exhausted."

"A RISE LAST WEEK/

Another merchant reported that the price of new potatoes at Pukekohe rose by £3 a ton last week arid they are now £27 per ton—at Pukekohe Station. They have, of course, to bear freight and other charges before selling wholesale in Wellington.

A trade view of the future of the onion market was to the effect that this vegetable might easily reach 6d per lb retail, a shortage being predicted by those specialising in the business. t Demands of military camps for potatoes and onions was mentioned, but traders said they did not think that these demands materially affected the position. They had some effect, of course, but men who had to be fed in camp did not need to be fed elsewhere.