Suggested Ways Of Overcoming Vegetable Famine

Northern Advocate, 21 November 1941, Page 7

Suggested Ways Of Overcoming Vegetable Famine

[Per Press Association —Copyright.] WELLINGTON.'This Day

The suggestion that land in the 5 North Canterbury could be utilised to > replace land lost to growers in the Hutt • Valley and to supply vegetables in the Wellington market was made by Mr. ; H. C. Frampton, representing the • Christchurch Brokers’ Association, when giving evidence about vegetable prices before the Price Tribunal yesterday. In reply to a question, he said he did not think North Canterbury land could grow the early spring cabbages that came from the Hutt Valley. In Christchurch early spring cabbages came from dear land. It was only because of the high prices that they could be grown as a payable proposition, he said. Registration, Regulation There was a wonderful opportunity in Nelson which he thought had not been tried out enough. He agreed that the organisation of the growers’ side of the market garden industry would improve the position. The two things that would help most were the registration of growers and the regulation of supplies. Witness claimed that the auctioneers were giving efficient and good service fo the growers and retailers. He did not see how prices could be fixed by treaty. The assistant manager of the Fruit Growers’ Federation (Mr. J. H. Parker), replying to Mr. Justice Hunter, said the organisation of fruit growers had reduced costs, the result being cheaper prices to the consumer. State Takes Land Mr. E. G. Robertson, general manager and director of Market Gardens Ltd., a co-operative concern, said he did not think the Government should take any more land in the Hutt. Authorities in other countries were not so indiscreet as to take away market garden land from the cities. He said it was ridiculous to talk about bringing vegetables to Wellington from the South Island. He instanced the case of tomatoes, freight on which was 2/6 against 2d. In regard to audicneering, he said: “We can sell £IOOO worth of produce in three hours, but under private treaty we might bicker with the buyer for three days.” Shortage of Supply j

The high prices of vegetables today were due to one principal cause. A shortage of supply, stated a survey of commercial market gardening presented by Ihe assistant director of the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculture (Mr. W. T. Goodwin). He said this was necessarily usual at this period of the year, but was more pronounced this year. The main causes in the supply shortage were: short planting of seasonal crops; shortage of manpower; unfavourable climatic conditions; an increase of consumption in certain directions; increased production costs; disease and pests. The survey stressed the need for organisation and planned production and suggested the establishment of consumers and producers' organisations to deal with supply and demand.

The Food Controller (Mr. W. J. Gunn) submitted a report on supplies for the armed forces. He denied a suggestion which had been made that the army was prepared to offer any price at all for vegetables, and pointed to the fact that the quartermaster at any camp had only a certain margin on which to operate.