POTATO ACREAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 November 1941, Page 4

POTATO ACREAGE

DECREASE IN COMMERCIAL PLANTING SHORTAGE & HIGH PRICES PROBABLE. COMMENT ON MINISTER’S STATEMENT. “Indications point to potatoes being dear and in short supply this year,’’ observed Mr R. H. Brewerton, president of the Wairarapa Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association (Inc.), when he was asked to comment on the recent statement made by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr J. G. Barclay. Mr Barclay appealed to potato growers to increase their plantings to meet the approaching shortage. Mr Brewerton said that the commercial acreage of potatoes planted in the Wairarapa was considerably less than that of last year. In his opinion the facts set out by the Minister certainly applied in the Wairarapa. Unfortunately the Minister’s appeal to growers to increase their acreage could not be met because there were no seed potatoes to plant. There were none m Masterton at present and the position was fairly general throughout the Wairarapa. It was possible, however, that a few small lots of Dakotas or other odd lots would become available from time to time. A local broker had received inquiries from all over New Zealand for seed potatoes. It was suggested by Mr Brewerton that the local position could be slightly eased if farmers with small surplus stocks of seed potatoes would communicate with the stock firm they were dealing with and notify them accordingly. Referring to the seed position in general, Mr Brewerton said there was a severe shortage of turnip, kale and chou moellier seeds. So far as carrots, beets, lettuce and other vegetables grown by the householder were concerned, there was little cause for alarm, as there were good’ stocks of seed in the district. In conclusion Mr Brewerton said it would be good advice to all householders to make use of every meh of spare ground in their gardens tl year. .