POTATO PRICES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 111, 15 May 1942, Page 5

POTATO PRICES

j NEW ORDER ANNOUNCED MAXIMUM FIXED FOR RETAILERS | (P.A.) Wellington, May 14. I 11l a statement issued to-night, the : Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. ! Barclay, announced that, the Price ■ Tribunal had revoked. Potato Price I Order No. 67, under which the "ceil- ' ing” price of potatoes was fixed at ' £2u a ton, and has issued a new price ' order uniter the authority of the Min- ! ister of Industries and Commerce. j ‘The introduction of this new order,” said the Minister, “has been I made on the recommendation of the I Vegetable Committee, of which 1 am chairman. A rapid review of the supply position discloses that the | North Island crops are practically exl hausted, and the main South Island crop must be relied upon tor all requirements until new season’s potatoes I are ready. The demand will be heavy and supplies must be safeguarded, firstly for the Armed Forces, secondly for next season’s seed, and thirdly for civil population consumption. All hough the South Island crops are reported to be above the average, it is known that the area under potatoes is not normal. Therefore the Vegetable Committee recommends that a meeting representative of growers. distributors and consumers be called to consider fully the future distribution policy. This meeting will be held at. Wellington next week. Subsequent to the meeting it is intended to introduce a comprehensive price order governing the sale and distribution of potatoes from the present main South Island crop. “The price order now issued is of a temporary nature, designed to hold the position pending the finalisation of the long-term policy. This order provides that in respect of South Island potatoes which are dug between April and September the prices which may be charged or received by the grower on an f.0.r., sacks-in, basis are: Suttons, £8 5s a ton, Inverness whites and Dakotas, £7 15s .a ton. This provision becomes operative in resocct of all potatoes not placed on 1 nicks at the growers’ station by midnight on May 14, 1942. The maximum retail prices for all types of potatoes have been fixed at lid a lb. for the Canterbury province and 2d a lb. over the remainder of the Dominion. “This order therefore introduces the principle of fixi « maximum retail prices for both i\orth and South Islands, and this feature of the order will be maintained in subsequent amendments. It has been recognised that individual retailers may at the present time he holding high-priced stock, and the limitation of retail • prices therefore docs not become operative until the 21st. of this mon!!; in order that such stocks might be cleared. “In conclusion, I wish to emphasise that the objective of the Government is to stabilise the sale and distribution of the main crop of potatoes. It is recognised that early spring crops are in a different category, and greater freedom of price and conditions of sale must be allowed for such produce. 1 am very desirous that every possible effort be made to increase plantings of early potatoes, as failure in this respect will result in increased difficulties being experienced in meeting the Dominion's essential requirements during the period from October until the end of December, when supplies of old season’s potatoes cannot be upon.”