HEAVY ONION CROP

Evening Star, Issue 23699, 5 October 1940, Page 15

HEAVY ONION CROP

KO IMPORTATIONS NECESSARY |Pish United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 4. “ The union crop last season proved very satisfactory, and this is the first time for many years in which it has not been necessary for New Zealand to import onions from overseas,” said tho Minister of Marketing (Mr Nash) to-day. “ Until recent years New Zealand-grown onions could only be depended upon to keep in sound condition until June or July, and from then onwards to the end of the year it has been necessary to supplement local supplies with substantial importations from Japan, California, Canada, and Australia. Largely as a result of the work of the Department of Agriculture the onion growers are now growing much better-keeping varieties than was tho case a few years ago. “ While there is still room for further improvement,” Mr Nash said, “ sufficient sound onions are now available to meet New Zealand requirements up to the end of October and probably until the new crop commences to come in about the middle of December. Thus a considerable saving in overseas exchange has been effected, and it is hoped that with the further cropping of bettor-keeping varieties importations may also be rendered unnecessary in future years.”