PRICE OF POTATOES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12637, 23 May 1919, Page 5

PRICE OF POTATOES.

UP TEN SHILLINGS A TON. LACK OF SHIPPING PREVENTS FURTHER RISE. The lifting of the embargo on tho export of potatoes has resulted in a rise in the wholesale price of from 5s to 10s a ton. Tho rise Mould have been much greater if shipping were .available to place the crop on the Sydney market, .but no ships are - being dispatched to Australia from New Zealand and the shipping strike on “the other side ” makes the prospects bad For potato growers. The potato consumer in Now Zealand, however, will benefit in cheaper potatoes. A potato farmer stated this morning that whereas potatoes were £5 10s a ton before the embargo was lifted they were now £5 15s or £6, the latteiiprice being offered for June delivery- The crop was good, and there was no blight in it, and £6 a ton would pay the grower, although before the embargo the price was £B. Asked why £8 was quoted before the export was stopped, the farmer said that buyers were speculating on a rise ! /v, ™ le Sydney price. Ho added that £6 to-day was as good as £lO last season,' when labour was required to pick oyer the potatoes, and there was a considerable wastage. A potato merchant confirmed the present price as being from £5 15s to £6. He remarked that the removal of the embargo was not likely to benefit the grower immediately, as potatoes could not- be shipped anywhere. He anticipated, however, that with shipping available to Sydney the price would advance still further, on spoculativo grounds, but he doubted whether Sydney merchants would pay the price unless the strike had led to a rise. If farmers thought they could get their potatoes shipped to Sydney they would \old for a rise. He was inclined to think that there were not so many potatoes about as some persons were frying to make out. The crop was fair, and without blight, but the acreage was less. The possibility of obtaining freights to Sydney was mentioned to Mr Si K. Sleigh, manager of the Union Steam Ship Company. He replied that the company was not sending any ships to Australia at present, and he' could not snv when tho service would be resumed. Tho Manuka, was due to leave Svdncy to-day for Now Zealand, but while sho might get away there was no certainty that, she would be sent back to Sydney again.