POTATO PRICES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 118, 22 May 1942, Page 5

POTATO PRICES

COMPLETION OF CONTRACTS PERMITTED (P.A.) Wellington, May 21 The Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, announced to-night that an agreement has been reached with the N.Z. Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Federation regarding the application of the present potato price order, and contracts entered into by the trade prior to that order are becoming operative. “It was the original intention of the vegetable committee, said the Minister, “that all contracts not completed by the date the order was issued should either be adjusted to conform with the order or be cancelled. However, at a representative meeting of all sections of the industry, held yesterday, the view was strongly pressed by both producer and merchant representatives that contracts made before the issue of the order should be allowed a reasonable period to be completed. “It was finally decided that I should recommend to the Price Tribunal that the existing price order should apply only in respect to all sales made on or after May 15, 1942, in respect to uncompleted contracts entered into before that date. These must be completed by June 30, 1942. This means that if potatoes to be delivered against these uncompleted contracts have not been placed on. trucks at the growers’ station by June 30, such contracts are automatically cancelled as at that date. I am now able to advise the trade that the Price Tribunal have recognised this agreement, which will become operative immediately.”