MARKETING BOARDS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4050, 20 May 1938, Page 7

MARKETING BOARDS

SPAIN ADOPTS IDEA. CONTROL WITH GUARANTEE. Spain is following New Zealand’s example in appointing Marketing Boards to control the disposal of its primary produce. Since July boards have been established to direct the sale of onions, pepper and citrus fruits. What is more, a guaranteed price is now paid to farmers producing oranges, lemons, grapes and other fruits. For this new departure a man who is directly responsible is no other than Mr. Walter Nash, Minister of Finance and Marketing. During his stay in England last year, Mr. Nash met and talked with Mr. Fernandez Shaw, Spanish Commercial Attache in London. Together with Dr. R. M. Campbell, economic adviser to the High Commissioner, they discussed New Zealand’s boards. Mr. Shaw was much impressed, and his information was conveyed to Dr. Juan Negrin, Prime Minister of the Spanish Government, on his return to Spain.

“It cannot be said that the boards we have established are altogether like to yours in New Zealand,” Mr. Shaw said in an interview yesterday. “But it is true that they were greatly influenced by those in the Dominion. Our problems are very similar to yours.

“Just as you are dependent upon the United Kingdom for the disposal of your primary produce, and just

as your farming population is adversely affected by low prices in the United Kingdom, so is Spain affected. We do not compete with New Zealand, but there is a certain amount of competition between Spain and South Africa, Australia and India. “All the primary produce of Spain now comes under the ownership of our Government, and no exportation is permitted but through our Marketing Boards. Our first board to control the sale and export of onions, was established last July as an experiment. It was so successful that we now have three others. They are constituted somewhat differently from New Zealand’s.

“AU are ruled by a committee representative of the Government and the producers. I believe that in your Dominion there is no direct representation of the producer, so that you see our system is rathei- more democratic,” added Mr. Shaw with a smile. “The producers are most satisfied with their guaranteed price, and they much prefer the control of a board to that of trade unions, which was the case at the outbreak of the war.

“What will happen after the war nobody knows. But it seems quite likely that, as the control of the boards is dictated by economic rather than political reasons, they will be retained.”

British exports to Spain in 1937 were approximately £2,126,000, an increase of 30 per cent, on those for 1936. British imports from Spain last year were £4,860,000, a decrease of 14 per cent, as compared with 1936. Oranges are Spain’s chief ex-

port to England. In 1937 their value was roughly £1,765,000.