VEGETABLE PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 125, 22 November 1941, Page 10

VEGETABLE PRICES

INQUIRY FINISHED

REPORT TO BE MADE TO THE

MINISTER

After sitting for seven days and hearing a tremendous volume of evidence, the Price Tribunal yesterday afternoon concluded its investigation into the causes responsible for the high prices of vegetables. The chairman (Mr. Justice Hunter), in thanking the organisations concerned for their care in presenting their evidence, said he had received about 50 or 60 written statements from various parts of New Zealand, and these would be considered by the Tribunal, which would make its report to the Minister of Supply , The concluding evidence concerned the growing and marketing of onions, and it was given by Mr. G. R. Holmes, secretary of the Onion Marketing Advisory Committee, which was established in 1937. He said that there had been a shortage of onions for the past six weeks. The crop at Marshlands, the only South Island growing area, had been light because of the drought. There had been average crops in Pukekohe and the Manawatu, but in the latter district they had been badly affected by mildew. The demand for onions recently had been increased by the scarcity of other vegetables. The retail price in Wellington was 5d a lb, but the standard price was 51b for Is

Mr. Holmes said the onion business was very satisfactory to growers at the present time, and while the war lasted the market would be on their side. Areas really suitable in the Dominion were restricted, but some places where onions might be grown had not yet been developed. Abnormal conditions and the fact that there had been no importations accounted tor the difference between the return of from £7 to £8 a ton to the growers at harvest time and the present retail prices. Had shipping been available onions would have been brought from Canada to cover the present period.