LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1641, 19 May 1919, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

TEE POTATO CEOP, To the Editor of THB SDK. Sir,—ln the interests of the consumers, or public generally, I eannot let your article on "Potato Export" pass unchallenged. A well-known merchant states: "The position is an extremely serious one from the growers' point of view." This merchant is evidently a speculator whom the export of-potatoes and the consequent rise in prices would materially benefit. There is certainly a slight M'glut" on the market at present, but |its cause is two-fold:—

(1) The long spell of unbroken fine weatheT has enabled the growers to get their whole crops out without a break or interruption of any kind. Potatoes being a perishable artiele, and labour being scarce or very dear, are both reasons for the faet that nine-tenths of the growers aro not bothering to pit their erops to-hold-them -for uncertainhigher prices in the spring, hut are all selling "off the fork" at to-day 's prices.

(2) The lack of freights to take the potatoes to the parts of New Zealand where they are required, Napier, Gisborne, and Auckland. "With regard to cause (1) the majority of the growers arc wise. Can you, Mr Editor, tell me if at any time during the past 20 years potatoes have ever realised such high priecs "off the fork" as they have this year, £6 and over, down to their present rate of quotation, £5 10/-. I 'speak of main crop only,, not of deliveries earlier than April. I don't think there has been a season, and, if you could look at the market reports for the time mentioned, you would find the ruling priees between £3 and £4 10/-, averaging Toughly £2 per ton cheaper than to-day's figure. Now, with regard to clause (2): I was speaking to one merchant in town who has over 200 tons of potatoes Bold for shipment to Auckland, and it has been impossible to get freight. He applied for some thousands of sacks' space in the Mokoia, sailing,to-day, 19th inst-, and he was allotted space for 200 sacks, not 20 tons. He was one of the lucky ones; others did not get more than 50 sacks' space. Now these merchants, I expect,- eannot get the growers to hold their deliveries, as they (the growers) are frightened of wet weather and frosts, which would only cause their line to be rejected; consequently they (the merchants) are having to put a large quantity into store, which means an increased cost to them. Now, as potatoes cannot be stocked like grain, the storage room is limited, and merchants have had to reduce their price, both with the view of covering' the extra eost of'handling and storage, as well as to get some of the growers to keep their crops meantime.

Your article states that the North Island merchants were actually offering their purchases baek here. This is not strietly true. Only the Wellington market has been oversupplied, for the simple fact that there are about 10 boats per week to that city. On the other hand, there i 9 almost a famine in Auckland, which has been getting only about one boat per fortnight. The ruling priee up there is, I believe, about £ll or £l2 per ton. Further, your article speaks of 17 tons per acre in the Willowbridge district. I .can'speak'of one farmer near Christchurch who got 50 tons of table potatoes off 25 acres.

I am very surprised to read the remarks of Mr David Jones, president of the.North Canterbury Farmers' Union, viz., "that it.is imperative that relief be given by export.'' Of naturally, he has the interests of the farmer at heart and wants to see them get higher prices for their crops. What with wheat at 6/6;' oats 3/9, ehaff £5 10/-,-onions £7, potatoes £5 10/-, really the poor farmer has to be envied, not sympathised with.

In conclusion" I may state I lave travelled in the eountry not a little, and though there is a remarkable absenee of blight of any kind in the potato crop, it has been the general experience that the yields have been disappointing. With regard to the present "glut" on the market, export would not relieve it, as there is no freight, or not enough offering for Sydney to make any difference to the present rate of supplies. A few more steamers for Napier, Gisborne, and Auckland would do just as well. The best results would be obtained by a fortnight's wet weather, to prfevent digging for a little while.

' When statistics show for certain that we have an exportable surplus, or when prices come baek to such a figure that the growers would be losing money, then, I say, export is warranted. To-day, however, such is not the case; it is still doubtful that we will have even enough for the Dominion 'a requirements, while the price to-day is, as I have already pointed out, about £2 dearer than the average price for the past 20 years at this time of the year. Your article should not be headed, '.'Penalised Growers," but "Penalised Consumers." Pour tons per aere at £5 10/- is a paying crop, but the man with 17 tons per acre will want someone to help him spend his cheque. - Trusting I have not encroached on too much of your valuable siace, —I am. etc., -'-

SUBSCRIBER, GOVERNMENT'S ATTTTITDE TTPHELD. To the Editor of THE SUN. Sir,—Replying to your views, and those of a merchant interviewed by a Sun representative, as published in* your issue of Saturday, the 17th. It is universally admitted that the yield of potatoes is fair to good, but surely the price being obtained by growers is goodi. Take last week's market quota-tions-from five centres, as'appearing in the newspapers:—

Auckland, May 10, '/The price of potatoes is unchanged at £lO 10/- to jen.".

Christehureh, May 16,-"For June delivery £5 15/- has been paid to growers on rail, sacks extra."

Duncdio, May 16, "The potato market remains unaltered, and local offerings are going into consumption as soon as offered at £7 5/- to £7 10s, on trucks.''

Invercargill, May 70, "The market is firm. Merchants are offering £5 10/to £O, on trucks."

Sydney, May 15, "Potatoes, Tas- - to £l4 10/-. Melbourne, May 16, Potatoes, £8 to £9." •Sydney and Melbourne prices, however, do not figure in this controversy. Surely the atoove New Zealand centres reports do not warrant the removal of the present embargo on export. Your merchant interviewed states, "The offerings by farmers, however, give a very fair indication of the position. These were very heavy and much above present requirements." I respecfully beg to differ. The farmer is offering very sparingly and will not accept £5 15/-. The writer is prepared to buy a large/quantity at this figure for forward delivery but cannot get them. At the present'-moment potatoes are being retailed at 81bs for ]/-, which with