ARMY VEGETABLES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 96, 26 August 1942, Page 5

ARMY VEGETABLES

BIG OPOTIKI SCHEME

STATE SUPERVISION

Recently Government officers visited Opotiki to go into the question of growing large areas of the Coast in vegetables. The Opotiki County Council has been approached in connection with the plan .to build a new wharf at a suitable spot on the Coast. It. is understood that it is the intention to carry all vegetables by boat, this meaning a big saving in petrol and rubber. The wharf rs to be built at a site where the vessels trading to the Bay of Plenty ports will have no trouble in berthing and as the site is a sheltered" one there should be few delays fn shipments.

The climate of the eastern portion of the Opotiki County is very suitable for growing vegetables all: the year round and several areas are usually qu'iet frost free., Potatoes and peas can be grown the whole year round and the rainfall is ample and not usually excessive. Practically all the work will be undertaken 1 by Maoris and big areas of potatoes and ktrmeras will probably be planted in addition to many other vegetables. No ICS's than 120 axfres are involved and the area may be increased to 150 acres. Most of the growing Of plants for setting out in September is well advanced.

As an indication of the magnitude of the scheme, a computation shows that there will be no fewer .than 21 miles of lettuces growing in single rows at one time and', on the' same basis, about 15 irriles of carrots, nine aniles of silver beeit, 1." males of' spring onions and 2o miles of cabbages, this being for the first planting of cabbages. No less than 10 acres of peas will be put' in for the initial cropv It is felt that the new scheme will open up the prospect of the Eastern portion of the Opotiki County coming a very important vegetable growing centre after the war.

The administration of the wharf it is proposed to erect will be probably undertaken by the Opotiki County Council. The provision, of a wharf in the Eastern portion of the Opotiki County will have a- beneficial effect in the work of putting the Maoris on the land under the most favourable conditions and should reduce transport costs very considerably-. Manure will be landed at a much lower rate than at present and wool, and in all probability butter too, will be shipped direct to Auckland, instead of by the long haulage to Opotiki before shipment as at present*