POTATO GROWERS GET RISE IN PRICE

Chronicle (Levin), 2 August 1947, Page 3

POTATO GROWERS GET RISE IN PRICE

-Press Associ&tion

Bv Tele'aravh-

WELLINGTON, Auguat l. A decisiou has been reachcd to iucrease by a furtlier ten shillirigs per ton, the pn.ce to growers for the main erop of potatoes, said the Mimster oi Agriculture, lion. E. L. (Jullen, tonight. Tliis, witli the ten shillings per ton granted last March, meanf that priccs for the main erop of potatoes deiivured during the period of March to Novem ber 1948, would be £1 abovo the eorrosponding rate for the 1947 crop. For some time tlie jiotato advisory committee had stressed the necessity oi' an increase in ihe main crop potato priccs to meet- iucreased production costs by the Department of Agriculture and its examinatiou by the Htabilisation Commission, a decisiou had been xnade to increase the price as stated. This was verv much in line with the "recommendations of the potato advisory committee and Mr. Cullen said' he ex pected that, as a result of the latest adjustment, an acreage in keeping with Dominion requirements would be planted this spring. Mr. Cullen said the el'fect of the increases Avould be that the following maximum prices would be paid to growers for table potatoes delivered March to June 1948: — South Island: Suttons Supreme, Pakota and Iving Edward, £9 5s per ton free on board, sacks includod. All otlier varieties £S 15s. Nortli Island: All varieties £11 per ton. Prices would be iucreased for deliverics from July onward, bringing the l November prices to £12 10s aud £11 os xespeetively. A premium of ten shillings per ton had been approved for North Tsland grown potatoes which had been special1y graded. The Minisler empliasised ; t'he' need for niaintaihing and even increasing North Tsland production, parucularly in streas where potatoes conld be grown for delivery in April or later, thus relieving the pressure on shipping ?pace from the South Tsland. The Minister said the eontraet system of growin» which had been m force for ihe past five vears, would again operate this year.