POTATO GROWERS’ TROUBLES

Evening Star, Issue 25996, 10 January 1947, Page 6

POTATO GROWERS’ TROUBLES

PROFITS HALVED THIS SEASON SERIOUS LABOUR SHORTAGE “Many people have failed to.realise that the best of the growers have only half a crop of potatoes this year,” said a leading Outram producer to the ‘ Star ’ this morning. “My own takings do not compare with those of last year. Earliec in the season I lost £2O worth of seed potatoes, and had to rip up the ground completely and replant.” He added that many producers, principally those whose crops of table potatoes had been exhausted, were now concentrating on seed potatoes. When King Edwards were ready to be dug, in about three weeks’ time, the supply should improve slightly. To-day’s heavy rain has made things even more unpleasant for the.growers. It was stated early this afternoon that paddocks were becoming like bogs, and some workers, had finished for the day. This will lead to a further depletion in the already small reserves held by most growers. ORDERS BY RAIL.

A number of the growers are delivering supplies to the railway station at Outram in response to telephoned orders. Potatoes ordered by this method are. taking about three days to reach the city. There is no doubt, however, that the majority of. retailers—and many householders with cars—are preferring to make the journey to Outram in order to be sure, of their supply. The failure of several growers to obtain sufficient labour for digging has led to the curious situation of callers from the city being given a fork and invited to dig their own. Not all growers are in this unhappy situation, however, although the seriousness of the labour shortage is admitted by all. An Outram grower who advertised potatoes for sale at a relation’s house in the city met with an overwhelming response. Many small retailers, and even individual householders who were unable to make the trip out to Outram, called at the address given in the advertisement. Supplies were quickly exhausted, and an inquiry from the ‘ Star ’ this morning disclosed that orders are now full for tho next week. The number of people who had called since the advertisemnet first appeared had run into several hundreds. NO SLACK MARKET. The following statement on the potato shortage was made this morning by Mr G. Grigg, president of the Outram Market Gardeners’ Association : “There appears, to be. a good deal of conflicting public opinion about the shortage and about the suggestion that growers are retailing potatoes at black market prices,”,Mr Grigg said. “I wish to point out that no such position has ever existed as far as the Outram growers are concerned. “The stoppage of all supplies of potatoes to retailers has not been made as a reprisal to them or the public,” he said. “All growers are in full sympathy with the retailers. Owing to the fact that crops have been reduced by half, and the neglect of the Price Tribunal to extend December potato prices to the month of January, market gardeners have been compelled to sell direct to the public at 4d per lb as advertised by our association.” Prospects of increased supplies are not bright, Mr Grigg added, as the stocks of many early growers were becoming exhausted and the mam crop yields would also be lighter.