THE KUMARA RETURNS

Te Ao Hou, Summer 1954, Page 63

THE KUMARA RETURNS by Heretaunga P. Baker Until the advent of western civilisation in New Zealand, the Maori people were content to rely upon the kumara or sweet yam as their staple means of diet, which was often supplemented with fish and birds. When the European arrived he brought his own food with him and the importance of the kumara started to fade as the Maori acquired the pakeha's ideas on foods. During the Second World War, however, many American servicemen who were used to their sweet yams back home immediately took to the New Zealand kumara, and the pakeha residents of New Zealand wonderingly followed suit. Until 1940 only the Maori and a few Europeans ate kumara, but now the pakeha population of New Zealand is gradually growing kumara conscious and the demand for this nutritious tuber is growing daily; supply as yet can't keep pace with demand. The kumara has a very high food value and is practically a complete food in itself. There are only certain areas in the North Island suitable for the cultivation of the kumara. The district around Opotiki is one of the most favoured, being at present free from the kumara blight which was introduced from the Islands in 1949 and ravages North Auckland and the Tauranga areas. According to Mr Selwyn Park, horticulturist of the Maori Affairs Department in Opotiki, over 100 acres of kumara above the usual acreages have been grown there this season. As a consequence there will be considerably more kumara for sale this year than formerly, and it remains to be seen whether this greatly increased volume of production can be absorbed at a price satisfactory to the grower. The average yield an acre here is from six to 10 tons, and this means there will be about 800 tons of extra kumara to be absorbed by the public from that district alone. It is to be hoped that this type of agriculture is not overdone and that supply does not exceed demand. On the other hand, seeing that only certain areas can grow kumara, it is possible that there will always be a good living in kumara production. This season will give a good indication of the trend of events on the kumara market. With increasing production another problem will begin to make itself felt, and that is the variable market according to the quality of the produce. Until recently most growers placed their produce in sugar sacks and sent them to the market. It is a known fact that the kumara needs to be carefully handled, and several large Auckland firms have been asking growers to use wooden boxes or shooks to ensure that the delicate tubers arrive at their destination in good condition. At present a large quantity of kumara get bruised in transit and the grower becomes the loser. It is to the advantage of the grower to use shooks holding about 56lb and see that each box is firmly packed before consingning, so that the tubers do not move about and get damaged. Several tribal committees are interested in promoting kumara production, and meetings are being held to form what is termed a ‘Kumara Planters Federation’ to embrace all Kumara planters in New Zealand. Tribal executives point out that as yet there is no organisation to promote and control kumara production in New Zealand, and that the interest of both the grower and the public would be better served by a recognised organisation interested in ensuring that only the best product reaches the public, and that in return the grower would be able to receive a certain amount of protection, as is now the case with fruitgrowers and potato growers in poor seasons or strikes and times of over-supply. Several large growers at Opotiki have submitted that as kumara production does not come under either market gardening or field Launch arrives at Tauranga from Matakana Island, carrying kumara and other produce to be marketed with the help of the horticulturist of the Department of Maori Affairs. (John Ashton Photograph.)

crops, it should be known as a plantation and the growers known as planters. It appears that there is a good deal to be said for this proposition, as it would lend this type of farming a certain amount of prestige favourable to those directly concerned, and would place them in a certain defined class. It is a known fact that in the United States of America the cultivation of the kumara has become a large industry, with an annual turnover of $100,000,000. Large factories can thousands of tons a year, great quantities of second grade material are dehydrated and form valuable stock foods, while a considerable proportion of farm output is sold on the open market to find its way to the kitchen where it can be made into about 40 appetising dishes, ranging from croquettes to cocktails. There is no reason why a similar industry cannot start in New Zealand though, of course, it would naturally be on a proportionately smaller scale. * * *