Fixes Ceiling For Potato Prices

Northern Advocate, 24 December 1941, Page 5

Fixes Ceiling For Potato Prices

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

Owing to climatic influences the early potato crop yields this season have been below normal. Likewise all these crops have been late in reaching maturity. Consequently the greater part of the demand for early potatoes has had to be met from Pukekohe from a crop which is substantially lower than normal and is now, to all intents and purposes, exhausted.

Prices which in the ordinary way would at this time of the year be from £l2 to £l4 a ton wholesale have risen to the unusually high level of about £46 a ton. With a view to providing reasonable protefction to the consumer and at the same time ensuring a reasonable return to the grower and the middleman, the Price Tribunal has, by way of price order, fixed the maximum ceiling prices. £2O Per Ton Wholesale The order states that the maximum price which may be charged by growers for potatoes of fair average quality, inclusive of any brokerage or other selling commission ordinarily payable by growers, shall not exceed a sum Equivalent to £2O a ton, f.0.b., s.i., at growers’ stations. The maximum price which may be charged in respect of sales by way of wholesale for potatoes of fair average quality shall not exceed: (a) Proportionate amount of the price paid to. the grower,, plus (b) proportionate amount of the charges actually incurred by way of freight and otherwise up to the point of wholesale delivery by way of first wholesale sale, plus (c) an amount a ton not more than 8£- per cent of the total of (a) and (b) above-mentioned. Growers’ invoice weights are to be used as the basis of calculation. Retail Charges

The maximum price will may be charged in respect of sales by way of retail for potatoes of fair average quality shall not exceed (a) the proportionate amount of the price paid therefor, plus (b) the proportionate amount of the charges actually incurred by way of freight and otherwise up to the point of retail delivery, plus (c) an amount not more than the growers’ weights or on wholesale 331-3 per cent of the total of (a) and (b) above-mentioned, calculated on invoice weights, whichever is applicable, calculated in the case of sales of lots in excess of 31b to the next highest penny and otherwise to the next highest half-penny.