GROWERS' VIEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24157, 26 December 1941, Page 7

GROWERS' VIEWS

CYCLE OF PRODUCTION PREVIOUS GLUTS RECALLED (0.C.) PUKEKOHE, Thursday The fixing of maximum prices for potatoes by regulation has come as something of a shock to growers in the Pukekohe district. The possibility of this being done has been known in the industry for some time, as an official of the Department of Agriculture advised that in the event of prices rising to a very high level the Government would probably take action. Growers point out that although £4b a ton is mentioned in the fixation announcement as the current P" o ® f or potatoes, the price on rail in the I ukekohe district has been £35 a ton this year. The fact that the price has been fixed at £2O a ton lias not caused any immediate concern among growers S en ~ era 11 v, as only a few growers have potatoes to dig. It may be that by the time the next crops are ready tor digging £2O will be quite a good price. ° Growers are concerned about the principle involved and point out that last year potatoes fell to the very low price of £3 a ton and, in fact, were unsaleable even at that figure. Actually, before Christmas last year, and in an effort to reduce the glut, the sale of Pukekohe potatoes to Australia at £5 a ton was arranged, but the Uoyernment refused permission for their export and later made purchases of potatoes itself at £lO 19s 6d a ton - The high prices this season have enabled the regular groweis losses incurred last year. Tnow that there is a maximum price imposed they ask how they Will be able to recoup themselves in a season when the growing; of potatoes is unpayable. bucli seasons recur at almost regular intervals and a factor in causing a glut is that good prices in a previous season have tempted many producers, such as dairy farmers, to try a gamble in potato growing This has resulted, in over-production and unpayable P" In turn, tl.e unpayable prices have caused the non-regular growers to drop production in the following season, with the result that supphes ha\e become shorter and the higher prices have enabled the grower to pay his waj over the two seasons.