ONION IMPORTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 181, 2 July 1937, Page 8

ONION IMPORTS

PERMISSION TO BE GIVEN. Per Press Association. GISBORNE, July 1“Acting on the recommendation of the North and' South Island advisory committees, tho Government has decided to allow the importation of onions, which must arrive in the Dominion between September 15 and November zO, 1937,” said the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Lee Martin) this afternoon. Mr Lee Martin’s statement was as follows: “In terms of the Board of Trade (Onion) Regulations, 1937, the Government has exercised its powers for the regulation of sales and purchases ot locally grown onions and the question of importations has been given serious consideration. A survey of stocks held in the Dominion and knowledge of the poor keeping quality of a considerable proportion of locally grown onions makes it abundantly clear that wholesale stocks will be exhausted toward tiie end of August or early m .September. It is apparent, therefore that importations are necessary to bridge the period from September until the now season’s locally grown produce becomes marketable. “After final consideration of all lactors and acting on separate hut unanimous recommendations of the North and South Island advisory committees set up in terms of the regulations, the Government has decided to allow importations of onions, which rive in the Dominion between _ September 15 and November 20, 1937. No permits to import will be neccssaiy, but, in order that the Government and the advisory committees mav he kept informed of the onion position generally, the Government requires importers to advise the Department of Agriculture, Wellington, of tho total quantity for which orders have been placed by each importer, the country of origin and the vessel by which tho produce is being shipped. , “The Government considers that the total quantity of onions necessary to meet local requirements from the beginning of September until midDecember is approximately 2000 tons. This information will, no doubt, be or value to importers in arranging purchases. In order that importers wil be in a position to gauge market requirements and thus obviate o\eiimportation, the department is issuing a circular to all merchants concci ned outlining the position in regard to stocks in hand and the monthly consumption of onions.”