POTATO GROWERS WANT BETTER PRICES

Chronicle (Levin), 1 February 1947, Page 5

POTATO GROWERS WANT BETTER PRICES

-Press Association

Bv Telearaph—

| . GISBORNE, Jan. 30'. : I Unless the Goverenfent raises the ' price of potatoes, lapd in th.e Gisborne 'uistrict will be put to more pro'lltable j use. This infonyation was conveyed , : to the Minister oi' Agriculture, Air. Gullen, by a deputatioh which waited 911 him in Wellington yesterday. ' , The chairman of the Gisborne Potato • Growers' Assoyiation, Mr. E. K. Oatnei'on, said on his return today that . the Alinister had undert^k.en to place tlie quesiion before Cabinet at the ffr.st , opportunity. ' •' Gisborne growers believe that, be cause of high costs and the risks to be | taken in growing early potatoes from - July to October inclusive, the market ! should be free and the question of ■ supply and demand should be tlip : ruling factor over the priee," said Air. 1 Gam.eron. "In the case of the later i main crop potatoes, November, Decembcr, January and onwards, there should be a guaranteed price more yi line with costs of' production. Growers in this district, after analysing costs, consider it neee.ssary that there should be some adj,nstinent in prices to bring those alloVed under the present scliodul.e more in line with present-day costs. "It is important that a \decision sho.uld be given at on.ee, bec.ausy growers will novv be compl.eting their ar- ' rangeineuts for either growing potatoes again next seasou or turning their land into prQfitable permanent pasture or crops. ' '