THE EXPORT OF POTATOES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1037, 15 January 1892, Page 25

THE EXPORT OF POTATOES.

A Settler in the Manakau district (Manawatu) is sending to London through the firm of Levin and Go., per s.s. Matatua, come fifty or sixty cases of new potatoes of the kidney variety, principally those known as ‘flukes.’ These potatoes, grown on a" sandy soil, are splendid tubers, and evidently gathered in their highest state of perfection.

A close examination of the cases, and the manner in which these potatoes are packed,- shows us unmistakably that potato packing for export is an art which the people require to be taught, if the trade is ever to made a success. These cases in question" are as roughly mede as possible. They are as ugly as they can be constructed, and the potatoes intend of being ‘packed’ in the trade acceptation of the term, are simply ‘ thrown ’ together. In the first place the cases are badly made. They are of rough undressed red pine, with an inside measure of twenty inches in length, eight inches in depth, and nine inches in width. The tops and bottoms are in one piece, but made so as to leave a gap of one inch on either side. The boxes are lined with pieces of old newspapers of single thickness, some of the boxes having coloured newspaper pages. There is no special protection at the top or bottom of the boxes, a single sheet of newspaper being considered sufficient. The potatoes, being of the well-known irregular shaped fluke type, do not fit so well together in a box as the round varieties do ; consequently, there, are ugly vacant gaps here and there, which, when the boxes get well shaken in their long voyage to the London docks, will cause the potatoes to move, and, in consequence, get considerably bruised. No provision is made by means of extra packing to prevent this inevitable bruising. Another instance of ugly packing consists in the branding of the box—a small card some two inches square, with the address in microscopic handwriting, is secured by a few tacks. The initials of the grower are marked on the box with a blunt stick, in what looks like blacking mixed with oil, giving an appearance all round of backwoods ignoranoe. Each box

holds about fifty pounds weight of potatoes. London is a critical market, and London buyers are the most critical of men. The Jersey potato growers are, as a rule, of French descent, or, at any rate, are innoculated with the neat and tasty ideas essentially French. Whatever product the Jersey people export is noted for its neat and attractive appearance. The same may be said of the Spanish potato shippers. Each box of Spanish potatoes arriving in London i. 3 ‘as pretty as a picture !’ The potatoes themselves are far more attractive when properly picked. The general impression amongst the best class of buyers, when these Manakau potatoes arrive in London will be, ‘ What untidy, careless packing.’ No doubt these potatoes will arrive safe and in a fair marketable condition, and, without doubt, they will find buyers, and very likely at good prices. Some potatoes from the same grower sent about the same time last year realised at the rate of twenty pounds per ton. But our argument, based upon experience, is that if the same potatoes properly packed in the Spanish or Jersey style were sent by the sauiß steamer as these are going by, they would realiso at least fifty per cent more money. No matter what the article is, if it is for eating or drinking, the method cf packing determines to a great extent its value. The delicate chocolate creams of Cadbury aud Fry would not sell so well at the price they do if they were sent out wrapped up in dirty screws of paper, instead of being daintly packed in most attractive boxes. The chocolate might be the same, but consumers would not relish them in slovenly packing.* Ju3t so with potatoes.There is no great art in growing them well in the magnificent soil of this splendid climate. But the art in extracting t.he highest possible value for them in the Loudon market consists in proper packing. Settlers need not be taught lu.w to grow potatoes, but they most certainly require to be taught how to pack them so that t.heir full value shall be obtained. New Zealaud farmers are the most clumsy and careless packers in the world. The Agricultural Department should teach them this great item if our produce is lo enrich the settlers in particular and the Colony in general. Farmers in other parts of the world are taught. Why not here. This is a problem for the Minister of Agriculture to solve. There is an enormous trade to be done in potatoes, but the growers want instructing how to pack and prepare them.