VEGETABLE-SELLING BUSINESS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 55, 7 March 1946, Page 3

VEGETABLE-SELLING BUSINESS

GROWERS CONCERNED OVER STATE INTENTIONS Wellington, March 6. Growers believe that the State will enter the vegetable selling business. They believe the Government intends to continue the contract growing system of the war years, and that this system will be used to force down prices, g.ve the public cheaper vegetables. Rumours among growers reached such proportions that the executive of the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners, together with the growers' representative on the Vegetable Marketing Advisory Committee, approached the Minister of Marketing, Mr. Roberts. This deputation asked the Minister that if he had plans to alter the marketing system, they should be withheld until the growers had been given time to consider them. It is now understood that the growers have been asked to submit tneir proposals for alternative systems. The contract system by which the Government bought perishable vegetables from the growers wqp introduced by the Government after the stabilisation system was established in 1943. Although it was planned for the supply of vegetables for civil and m.litary use it was actually put into force only in certain areas and for certain vegetables, for the Armed Forces alone. Some of the Army supplies, when mil.tary requirements changed, were put on the market and prices at that time were affected to the disadvantage of growers. With their whole future involved, growers at the moment are highly concerned, and rumours are riW at the markets about the Government’s intentions.