MARKET FOR ONIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21305, 5 October 1932, Page 7

MARKET FOR ONIONS

NEW SEASON'S PROSPECTS COLD STORAGE DEVELOPMENT ENCOURAGING LOCAL GROWERS [from orp. OWN CORRESPONDENT] PUKEKOHE, Tuesday The recent high prices for onions have led to increased planting this spring. The acreage in onions on Pulsckohe Hill and the surrounding lands is very noticeably larger than last year, while millions of plants have been despatched to householders and others throughout the Dominion who are growing for themselves. The "plant trado in recent years has assumed considerable proportions, but this year was easily a record. Growers who in past years have had ample surplus, plants to moet tho demand wore this year inundated with a flood of orders, many of which could not be fulfilled ut tho time. A very largo production of onions is thus anticipated and supplies are expected to be available from tho end of Deceinbei onward. Tho first to conic /or ward arc green onions, with ripened crops following in the dry weather. A glut in tho caily part of next year, with very poor returns to growers, may occur unless large quantities are stored and fed to the market as required. The difficulty up to the present with storage has been tho natural tendency of the onion to sprout with tho return oi warm weather in the early spring. In past seasons of heavy production, many tops havo had to bo jettisoned on account of sprouting, while at the samo time the consumer has been paying high prices for imported onions. Cool storage, which was successfully tried at Wellington this year with 75 tons from Pukekohe, appears to offer a way out, and endeavours are now being made to have it developed, with a, view to Domin- j ioYi growers supplying the Dominion s re- : quirements throughout practically the j whole year. „ j "1 think distributors would co-operate ! by purchasing cool stored onions, in lieu of importing, on the definite condition j that no attempt would be made by the growers to force up the price by with- j holding supplies required to fill the regular demands," said Mr. • 11. H. I'atLle, head of a Pukekohe produce firm, in discussing the matter to-day. "From tho expeiience gained, it is considered that with a slight adjustment of the temperatures and more careful packing, the straw-coloured Brown Spanish onion, which is the most popular variety with Pukekohe growers, can be carried through the v.'hole of the offseason if necessary." The president of the Franklin Produce Growers' Association, Mr. P. Miller, of Pukekohe Hill, who took a lead in trying out cool storage la»t season, said that a large quantity of a long-keeping strain of onions, called Turbotts, were now grown at Pukekohe. Tho market could be supplied direct from the. farms with the ordinary strains until, say, the end of June. The Turbotts should then meet the requirements in July and August, with cool-stored onions to come forward in j September, October and November. Early j globe onions from Australia were to hand in late November and December, j Adequate cool storage should moan that | the consumer would receive in the off ! season rather better quality onions than I theiimported and at a slightly lower cost. I while the money would bo kept in the j country, said Mr. Miller.