The Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1941. A Key Industry

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 192, 14 August 1941, Page 4

The Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1941. A Key Industry

Week by week householders purchase their few shillings’ worth of vegetables and give little thought as to whence they come and the importance of this supply as an economic unit. Yet here is big business for the estimated annual value of crops grown by market gardeners is no less a sum than £4,000,000. This fully equals, if not surpasses, the worth of all the grain crops grown in the country. It is almost double the value of our annual wheat crop which provides the staff of life. When allowance is made for transport and retail costs, it appears likely that the final turnover of our market garden industries would total close upon £10,000,000 yearly.

There are about 5000 market garden holdings aggregating over 9000 acres in extent. Tomato growing is one of the biggest and this returns over 10,000 tons harvest from 590 acres in the hands of 595 growers. Additional thereto are 1737 glasshouses producing 2614 tons. Our tomato crop is valued at £460,000 per year. It will be seen, therefore, that market gardening is qi He an important industry and provides a livelihood to some thousands of citizens. We have, however, termed it a key industry not solely because of these facts but because of its importance in relation to the health of the people. The average household expenditure oii vegetables may amount to but a few shillings per week, but it is these vegetables that safeguard health by providing the protective elements in the national diet. The 'Jlanawatu district is an important contributor in this respect. A noteworthy recent development is the rise of the Makerua district near Shannon to second or third place as an onion area. Last autumn saw harvested from there over 2000 tons of onions worth in the region of £20,000. As well as this the district produces high-class vegetables of all sorts from its fertile soils.