Potato Famine

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 232, 2 October 1935, Page 4

Potato Famine

All Price Records Broken

£ls 10/- IN CANTERBURY

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night,

Potatoes have continued to firm since the end of last week and to-day’s quotation, £ls 10s on trucks, is the highest ever recorded in Christchurch. The nearest approach to tho present price was at the beginning of the century, when values reached £l2 a ton. In 1929 for a short time us high as £ll on trucks was paid, but the new value has easily broken all records.

There has been a certain amount of hesitancy in the market this week as there is some question as to how the northern market will react to the very high price, but in spite of this hesitancy almost every sale that has gone through lias been made at an advance. The question which is now the subject of the most lively debate is whether there will be sufficient supplies to last the month or more. Northern observers estimate Auckland will be needing Canterbury potatoes. If the crop is completely cleaned up it will be another record. The Canterbury farmer has the reputation of always having a few more up his sleeve and the experience of buyers in the country in .the last fortnight indicates that the season will be no exception. A few" farmers now hold considerable quantities, but there are some very small growers—men who do not usually grow for the market —who are able to produce five or ten tons. Supplies are certainly short, but it is unlikely that, there is as yet a complete famine. There is practically no business at all in the other markets.