POTATO GROWING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 1 November 1934, Page 8

POTATO GROWING

IMPROVED QUALITY NEEDED, MERCHANTS AND GROWERS CONFER. At a largely attended meeting of potato growers and farmers .of the Manawatu and Rangitikei districts, held at the Showgrounds this morning, proposals were advanced by the Manawatu Grain Merchants’ Association to improve the quality of potatoes grown in the districts mentioned, in an endeavour to create a better name for local potatoes on the market, and also to extend the market open to the locally grown product.

Mr W. P. Lindsay presided and in explaining the purpose of the meeting to those present, said the Grain Merchants’ Association wa.s making an effort to put the potato industry in the Manawatu on a better basis as regards growing and packing. The southern merchants graded their potatoes particularly well, and in the north a much better opportunity existed for the growers to make their industry a. profitable one. The Manawatu and Rangitikei potatoes came on the market two months earlier than those or the south, but a much better article would have to be marketed to take advantage of the market. At this stage the chairman read correspondence his firm had received from a marketing organisation complaining of the state the district s potatoes were marketed in, also the grading, and the state of the sacks. "Under these conditions. Mr Lindsay went on. merchants had franklv stated they preferred not to handle Munawatu and Rangitikei potatoes, and the meeting was being held for the puipose of trying to rectify the position. POINTS TO BE REMEDIED.

Mr Christinas, of Messrs Hodder and Tolley, Ltd., endorsed the remarks of the chairman regarding the need for a better quality potato being produced and marketed. In the past this district had produced and sent a large quantity of potatoes to Taranaki and to Main Trunk places, but now these people were growing their own. This meant that local and Itangitikci growers were forced to send their potatoes to the city centres, and this meant that competition from the South Island and Pukekohe growers would be encountered. The speaker went on to detail the marketing arrangements in the South Island, adding that what was wanted locally was a centralised grading point from which the potatoes could be sent forward in proper condition. One of the chief obstacles the trade was up against in regard to local potatoes was that of size. Far too many small potatoes were included in the bags of table potatoes, and buyers also complained that too much earth was in the bags. Second growth on the potatoes and roughness were also objected to, and the sacks had to be sound. The latter was an important feature of the South Island, trade, and in the main their sacks could always be depended upon more than those of the north. Greenness and unripe potatoes were another point of slackness in local marketing, but all the points that had been enumerated, the speaker said, could be overcome. Producers were already producing a good potato, hut at present the marketing organisation was greatly in need of tightening up. Mr Christmas also read letters his firm had received from mediants regarding the state of North Island potatoes, and he urged growers to pay attention to the points brought forward. . . Mr Stewart, of Manawatu Mills, Ltd., stressed the need for good packing and condemned the use of superphosphate bags for table potatoes. The city markets insisted upon first-class sacks and growers would have to comply with what was wanted if they desired to get the best out of the market. Stricter supervision over those employed picking was also required as bad picking would easily spoil the good etfects of proper digging. Green and other inferior potatoes had to be kept out and seed potatoes also, for a buyer would reject a whole line merely because of a few small samples, iotatoes should he bagged as soon as they wore dug, and not left in the paddock once they had been bagged. The meicliants were out to get a good name lor local potatoes, and if this was done the speaker thought South Island prices could be obtained. Mr A. C. Buist (Feilding) said that in the Manawatu and llanp/tikei tire growers were up against many problems in regard to climate and diseases that the South Island producer did not have; but at the same time if attention was paid to the points that had been mentioned the merchants would be able t.o establish a good niaiket for local potatoes. Mr 11 C Abraham said that a yeai or two ago the quality of potatoes produced in this district was so bad that he had thought the case was hopeless However certified seed had worked wonders and he was now confident that local potatoes could ho Id their own with those of the south. The strains of potatoes needed had been obtained, but although there were some excellent crops being produced in the district they were penalised by the generally unfavourable state of others, and these faults had to be corrected.

VALUE OF CERTIFIED SEED. Mr R B. Tennent, Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, said the problem before the growers was an important one. Manawatu potatoes were m obviously bad repute through bad linos being put on the market, and it behoved every farmer interested in potato growing to pay the utmost attention to correcting the existing troubles. The merchants were endeavouring to help the growers and the speaker asked the latter if they were being fair to themselves when, after producing a good crop, they marketed them in a haphazard manner. The South Island »■ rower on the othei hand tried to make his produce attractive to the buyers in an endeavour to extend the market in the north and in Australia. A great chance confronted, the northern growers to develop the industry because they had two months of the’ market before the South Island produce reached it, but this chance could not be availed of unless proper grading, etc., was adopted. Mr Ten lielir was glad to hear tiiat good results had already' been obtained by the use of certified seed and he encouraged all fanners to use nothing but certified seed. Many of the present troubles were brought about by the use of uncertified seed. Mr Tennent said he could say without hesitation that this district could grow just as good a potato as the South Island, provided adequate care was taken in cultivation and nothing but certified seed was sown. The speaker went on to detail the results of experiments made by the department in regard to certified and uncertified seed, the figures showing a great percentage of increased production in the case of certified seed. Proceeding, Mr Tennent dealt with diseases affecting potatoes that could largely be obviated by the use of certified seed, stating that one of the most common was brown fleck which rendered the tuber quite unfit for consumption. It would probably interest growers to know that New Zealand had the most lax regula-

tions of any country in regard to the marketing of table potatoes. Few realised perhaps that good table potatoes were almost as dear as apples, yet no one thought of going to the same trouble of marketig them as was done in the case of apples. In America table potatoes were wrapped in brown paper before being put on the market, while in Scotland table potatoes were never put in bags, barrels being used. Concluding, Mr Tennent again stressed the need for improved quality and better cultivation methods.

STANDARD OF QUALITY. M. J. W. Hadfield, agronomist of tlie Department of Agriculture, was the next speaker, and in pointing out that the consumption of potatoes had fallen by about half from what it was some years ago said it was perhaps not to be wondered at when some of the potatoes that were placed on the market as table potatoes were seen. The speaker went on to relate the steps that had been taken in England under the national marketing scheme to bring about better marketing of farm and other produce, and while not suggesting that in New Zealand the full scope of the English scheme should be covered he thought it was time potatoes were marketed in New Zealand under a Dominion mark. Certain standards of quality would be agreed upon and each grower who entered the scheme would be morally bound to market his produce to conform to the standard laid down. A penalty clause in the agreement would be needed to bring this about and inspectors would perhaps need to be appointed, the inspector having the authority to remove the Dominion mark from any potatoes not conyng up to the standard required. A general discussion followed on the points mentioned by the speakers, several growers objecting to the setting up of an inspecting organisation, while others claimed that the merchants did not assist the grower to produce and market the best quality for the reason that low quality potatoes brought as much as second quality lines.

The chairman pointed out that it was the poor quality product which set the price for- the district crop, and at present outside merchants did not have confidence in Manawatu and ltangitikei potatoes. It was finally decided that a committee consisting of two merchants’ representatives, four growers, and two representatives of the Department of Agriculture bo set up to go further into the matter and draw up a scheme for submission to the growers.