"DROP IN THE OCEAN"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19885, 11 March 1939, Page 5

"DROP IN THE OCEAN"

AUSTRALIAN IMPORTS NO BENEFIT TO N.Z. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Neither the growers nor the merchants have much cause for jubilation at the decision of the Federal Government to permit the importation of a limited quantity of New Zealand potatoes into Australia, according to statements made to an Otago Daily Times reporter by a representative of the trade. The limitation of imports to 250 tons a week is regarded as hopelessly inadequate from the point of view of merchants on both sides of the Tasman.

"Two hundred and fifty tons will be like a drop in the ocean to the Australian market." said a merchant, "and it will be of practically no material benefit to the New Zealand market.

"It is doubtful whether .such a slight addition to the stock in Australia will have any effect on the exhorbitant rates ruling for tubers in the Commonwealth and the withdrawal of .such quantities cannot be expected to do much to improve the price of potatoes in this country."

Continuing, he said that the potato market in New Zealand had lately been buoyed up by anticipations of a new outlet for local .stocks, but merchants would now be far from anxious to operate, and il was probable that there would be a weakening in the market from its present level of about £8 to £9 a ton. The current rates for potatoes on the Australian markets range from £l7 to £22 iOs a ton.