THE POTATO CROP PROSPECTS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 673, 7 October 1921, Page 5

THE POTATO CROP PROSPECTS.

WILL PRICES HOLD GOOD? There appears to be an optimistic tone in regard to the future as far as local potato producers are concerned, but it depends, to a large extent, on their aqtions as to whether this outlook will hold. Last year potato producers gained considerable exeprience at considerable cost .to themselves, and they should have benefited by that costly knowledge. It will be recollected by many that last year these potato kings were all out to get what they could, and none can blame them, and while the prospects appeared good they commenced to dig the potatoes, in the majority of cases before the article was iit for consumption, and therefore flooded the market at a time when they could have afforded to hold off. The consequences were that there were so many potatoes on ( the market, and the price naturally fell below zero. This year the producers are going about in somewhat similar manner, and before they know where they are the bottom will have fallen out of the market. Those interested must remember that at the present time there is an abundance of prime •Southern potatoes on the market (and they will remain prime for about six weeks at laast), selling f.or. Auckland at £4 10s wholesale. At the present time quite a number of local potato growers are digging, and have been for the last three weeks, and according to a well-known local man in |the business these potatoes are unfit for consumption. These are being disposed of at a price .at Wellington, after deducting railage, receiving, despatching, carfting from rail to. auction mart, and selling commission charges that there is scarcely 2y 2 d per lb in them, unless, of course, the potatoes arev washed and cased, then a better price would be obtained. It was .this man’s opinion that they would be very lucky to hold thq market up to £S per ton till Christmas. The position at the .present time is that ihe Southern prime potatoes on the market could be sold at a great profit at lc 1 per lb, and while these are available people are not going for the n aturescent article at a much highei figure. There is a tightening in the money market, and our leading statesmen have urged upon us the desirability of economising in every respect until this financial stringency has blown over. What will be the position in a few weeks time judging from present indications ? The answer is that the market will again be flooded and low prices will be offered. This is what the producer has to guard against. The article this year is about three weeks earlier than usual. ' As a matter of fort the potatoes are scarcely ready before the third week in this month, and interested people know that the maturescent potato rapidly deteriorates, and is very easily damaged. The producers should have a method of digging gradually, so that there will be a steady demand.. There is one feature about the “early bird” tha,t in a very short time, he will have his second crop in, and as is generally the case the second crop yields well.

From what we gathered there are as many potatoes in the Pukekohe Borough as ever there were, bu<t thei e appears to be a falling off in the pi eduction in the outer districts. This is also evident in other counties in the province, and this decrease in production may be the means of firming the prices up again. There is another side to be looked at. Fertilisers and cental bags are down in price this year by about S 3 1-3 per cent, as compared with the prices ruling twelve months ago. With the considerable unemployment labour is bound to be somewhat cheaper, while carting costs should not be as heavy on account of the lew price of horse feed. These points all considered should really be money in the producers’ pockets. Even with the high prices obtainable early in the season i|t pays a producer as well to hold until his crop has matured. The potatoes are heavier and the Quality better, and even if the price is lower the extra weight is there. There has been some doubt as to the cost of planting one acre of land in potatoes, and a Times reporter has learned from a reliable source that it costs abou,t £42, made up as follows : Ploughing and working land £2, manure £lO, seed £5, planting £3, spraying £3, digging £lO, bags £3 15s carting £2, and interest on the land for six months £3 ; total £4l 15s. A good crop should yield S tons to the acre, and ijt is expected that £8 per ton will be a fair price th s veer; therefore there should be a {.refit of about £2O an acie.

In a number of cases a seconci c. ° is put in, 'and this is, as a rule, more profitable than the first, because the cost of putting in is not as great as the first.

The reporter recently had a look around the district and observed that both potato and onion crops were looking well.