POTATOES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 23 June 1923, Page 7

POTATOES

RAIN STOPS SUPPLIES.

MARKETS FIRM

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 22. Very heavy rains which have been experienced in the country during the past few days will have the effect of j stopping all delivery as far as the po-j tato market is concerned. The supply . is already slacking off to some extent, j but several steamers are expected to! convey shipments north during the week-end. The Auckland market continues firm, and inquiries have been received from the South, good sales having, been effected at as jhigh as £9 on trucks mid-Canterbury for f.a.n. This is an increase of about 20s per ton on previous sales, the ordinary price being £9 f.o.b. sacks in. \ The firmer tone of tlie southern market augurs well for mid-Canterbury potato growers, and means a great deal more than people seem to realise. In past years Otago potato growers have been strong competitors with Canterbury, but with th& evident failure of the southern crop, it look as if the whole of New Zealand's potato supplies will be drawn from mid-Canter-bury and will consequently somewhat strain the local market. The consensus | oi*opir>ion is that the New Zealand potato market must be 'augment^, by supplies from outside centres if the r I supply is to be maintained.