POTATOES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 31 October 1925, Page 11

POTATOES.

SHORTAGE IN AUSTRALIA. KEEN DEMAND HERE. PRICE LIKELY TO BE HIGH. ‘The reports from Sydney, as quoted from the Sydney Morning Herald, show that “supplies iii producing centres in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales of old season’s potatoes are being rapidly exhausted, and that the new' season’s prospects are not at all bright. It is estimated, that stocks in Tasmania do not exceed 30,000 bags, and cabled advice from the island is to the effect that as a result of frosts the new season’s Bismarck crops will be a month later than usual.” It is also estimated that the demands for potatoes fix Sydney, Victoria, and West Australia, where supplies' are short, far outstrip the stocks available or in sight. In addition, both New South Wales and Victorian producing ceutreg axe suffeiing from dry winds and lack of rain. Wiere has oeen a big upward movement*in price, and they soai'ed last week up to £2O per ton for Biownells.

Inquiry in Hawera shows that the first quotations for new season’s potatoes from Pukekohe, whence come practically all the earliest, were prety high, but there has been a downward trend. The first quotation was as high as £29, blit this was followed in .a week o,r two by a fall to £23, and the latest just received is £l9. Last year the early potatoes came into this district about two weeks earlier. Last year, too, the prices quoted at this time for old season’s supplies were pretty low, owing to big vie.'ds, and for the new potatoes alsp a good deal easier. The positionappears to presage fairly high figures for this necessary of life.