City Markets Face Glut in Potatoes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 877, 22 January 1930, Page 11

City Markets Face Glut in Potatoes

AUCKLAND’S POSITION HOW HOUSEWIVES CAN HELP Potato growers throughout the Auckland Province are faced today with a serious glut in the district markets. Potatoes are in over-supply, prices have fallen to an unprofitable level, and there is a possibility that a portion of the season’s crop will be wasted. 1 At present. City markets are selling potatoes well below the normal price level, and large quantities continue to come to hand. There is every indication that the bed-rock value o£ the glut conditions as they affect retail sales lias yet to be reached. The nature of the season, the prevalence of blight, and the increased ( quantities of potatoes grown hoth privately and commercially this . year, are said to have combined to ' bring about the present conditions. . Growers require the assistance of the community, and the most practical way in which this can be offered is by increasing the consumption of the tubers throughout the City and province. “The potato market is subject to amazing fluctuations and there is no question that the present position is decidedly abnormal,” an Auckland broker told The Sun today. BLIGHT PREVALENT “Blight is prevalent among potatoes- —as it is among tomatoes — throughout the suburbs, amateur and commercial growers alike being affected. “The result has been that growers are digging their potatoes early before the blight gets below the ground surface and ruins the crop. Large quantities are coming on the market which is seriously congested. “Another point is that larger quantities of potatoes are being grown in Auckland each year, especially in the North, and the probability is that, this year, this has added to the market congestion. “Today potatoes are offering at 80s a ton on trucks. This price cannot pay growers, besides which they are finding difficulty in obtaining an outlet for their supplies. “The normal price at this time of the year i£ about £6 a ton. “As a rule Southern potatoes come on to the Auckland market in March —last year we were taking Canterbury potatoes as early as February -—but it looks as if we will be unable to take Southern supplies this season until well on in April. LOW PRICES RULING “In the last few days potatoes have been sold in the markets at about, 3s (id a cwt, and I understand that the prices are varying between 3s and 55.” It was asserted in other quarters that potatoes are now being sold at Is (id a sugar bag. Brokers and wholesalers urge the necessity for an increased consumption of potatoes in Auckland in order to relieve the markets and tide growers over a period that has been particularly difficult climatically and because of trade circumstances. Culinary experts support them whole-heartedly to the extent of agreeing that increased consumption is quite practicable without in any way transferring the glut from markets to private homes. “People do not eat potatoes in their various prepared forms nearly as much as they could,” an Auckland dietitian and cookery expert said today. “Containing, as they do, pure starch in a most valuable form, they are an indispensable food and a valuable one. “At present potatoes are too ’new’ for use in the making of scones, an excellent method of consumption later in the year, but there are numbers of other interesting and palatable ways of serving them, some surprisingly little known.” “Besides being boiled and baked iu the ordinary ways they may be boiled in oil—new and increasingly popular method which is cheap, easy, and highly nutritive—sliced and dipped in hatter, served in various forms of “chips,” from the thick and common variety to light and delicious wafers, and used in salads in numerous ways.” The following are selected recipes, embracing the use of potatoes, which may help housewives to take advantage of the present exceptionally low prices and, at the same time, help materially toward the relief of the markets. Tomorrow the SUN will publish another recipe list, specially supplied by leading Auckland cookery experts. potato soup Required: One quart stock, 21b potatoes, loz dripping, 1 carrot. 1 onion. 1 teaspoon of curry powder, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, 1 cup of milk, salt and pepper. Method: Prepare stocTc, and add the onion. Boil potatoes and mash with dripping. Strain stock over this, add grated carrot, teaspoon of salt and l teaspoon of pepper. CoSk for half an hour, pass through colander, add milk to thin, boil up, add parsley, and serve. POTATO SALAD Slice 6 large cold boiled potatoes, put into salad dish, and season as follows: Two tablespoons best salad oil, add half teaspoon sugar, same of pepper, mixed mustard, salt and celery. Rub to smooth paste and whip in o tablespoons best vinegar, one at a time. When thoroughjv mixed, pour on salad and serve. POTATO CROQUETTES Required: Two cups mashed potatoes, f tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons milk, 4 or 3 egg*, cup of breadcrumbs, clarified fat, pepper and salt, and parsley if desired. Method: Mix butter, milk, and 2 beaten yolks lightly in with the potatoes, season with white pepper and salt, and, just before cooking, add white of eggs, beaten stiFf. Bake a nice brown in greased piedish, or form balls on a board with floured hands, then dip in beaten egg and crumbs and fry brown in boiling fat. They should be light and puffy. Very finely chopped paisley can be added. POTATO RISSOLES - Required: One large teacup mashed, potatoes, half as much breadcrumbs, tablespoon chopped parsley, teaspoon of bloater paste, salt and pepper to taste, and yoke of 1 egg. Method: Mix well and form into small balls. Dip each one into beaten egg and breadcrumbs, and fry quickly in hot fat. Serve alone or as garnish. MEAT AND POTATO PUFFS Take some cold roast beef, clear from gristle, mince and season with pepper and salt. Boil and mash some potatoes and make them into a paste with 2 eggs. Roll out the paste and dust with flour. Cut into rounds with saucer. Put some mince on to one half and fold over to form a puff. Fry puffs till light brown and serve with parsley. STOVED POTATOES Required: Ten potatoes, 2 large onions, 2 tablespoons gravy dripping, 1 dessertspoon salt, 1 level teaspoon pepper, and water. Method: Peel potatoes very thinly and cut in two. Add onion sliced, dripping, salt, pepper, and barely sufficient water to cover. Boil until soft, drain, mash, , put into dish, and brown in hot oven.