POTATO GROWERS GET RISE IN PRICES

Chronicle (Levin), 30 October 1947, Page 5

POTATO GROWERS GET RISE IN PRICES

WELLINGTON, Oct. 29. The increased cust to growers of main crop potatoes due to th'e removal of subsidies, increased labour costs...and liighfer transport charges, had led to a raview oi' Ihe priees for the main 1917-43 potato crop, said the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. E. L. (Jullefl, today. An all round increase of 15s per lon in the growers' maximum prices for produce delivered from next Mareh onwards had been approved while growers will aiso be entvtled to make an extra charge to cover the cost of sacks. The eifect of tliis ; adjustment, said Mr. Culleig was to faise growers' prices for Houth Island potatoes f.a.q. grade, Huttons, . Iving Edward and Dakota varielies, delivered from March to June inclusive, to £16 per ton f.o.b. sacks extra, with incremeiits from July 011 wards which would bring the Noveinber price to £13 5s per ton f.o.b, s.e. Prices for other South Island grown varieties will be 10s a ton Oelow those for the varieties included in the premium group. North Island growers will be paid £11 15s per ton f.o.r. s.e. for f.a.q. potatoes, all varieties, from March to June, rising to £15 a ton for November deliveries. Undergrade potatoes will be paid for at £1 per ton below the corresponding prices for f.a.q. potatoes. The Minister said no finalitv had been reached yet in^regard to potatoes grown for delivery up to the end of February but as these were already planted, an immediate announcement was less essential than for the main crop potatoes, the planting of which in many instances had not yet been undertaken. The announcement of revised prices for earlier crops would, howeve'r, be made as soon as a decision was reached.