POTATO SUPPLY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23258, 20 July 1945, Page 4

POTATO SUPPLY

, “Ignorance Of Real Position ’’ Marketing Official Criticised I iN.Z.P.A.I WELLINGTON, July 19. | “ihr statement published yesterday and attributed to a Air A. 11. Hone.vfiekl, Auckland manager of the Internal Marketing Division, concerning the shortage of potatoes is to say the least, untimely and discourteous and couched in terms which, through his apparent ignorance of the real position, might create an erroneous impression of the situation," said the New ZeaI land Grain. Seed and Produce Merchants’ Federation in a statement issued to-day. Mr Honeyfield, said the statement seemed to be over-anxious to dissociate the Internal Marketing Division from any responsibility for the difficult supply position which had been experienced in the North Island and at the same lime give the impression that the Internal Marketing Division had come in to retrieve the position by arranging imports from Australia and assuming some greater responsibility for production and marketing in the future. ’We do not think the Marketing Division has been generally blamed for the shortage which, us already announced by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. B. Roberts) has been due practically and solely to the disastrous weather in the producing districts this year." Regarding the future policy, the statement criticises Mr Hcneyfi"ld m making the st: ‘einent when matters were in course of negotiation with the Minister through his officers. These negotiations had bcm going on for some days, and unless they were not being told the whole story as to the Government's intentions, the Federation saw very little major change from what had obtained during the last two years concerning the production and distribution of potatoes and onions. During 1943-44 and 1944-45 merchants undertook to contract for the growing of potatoes and onions as agents for the Government, such procedure having been agreed upon as a war measure. The target acreage for 1945-46 under the scheme was 375.000 acres ar I was exactly the same target as aimed at in 1944-45. As far as ths Federation was aware, production would continue to be the prerogative of the growers, and the marketing would still be through the usual channels. "Mr Honeyfield intimates that 50.000 tons are to be made available to the American forces next year," continued the statement. “Wo would have thought it wiser not to make any commitments at this stage as the potatoes are not yet in the ground and ou- experience over many vears, and confirmed with a vengeance this last year, is that it is dangerous to make any positive estimate until crop prospests are better known. “In conclusion we can onlv sav that we are of the opinion that if any public statements are to be made in these matters they should emanate from the Minister himself, and not from an officer who has had very little to do with the arrangements that have been madeffi