GLUT OF POTATOES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1939, Page 7

GLUT OF POTATOES

REPORTED IN TASMANIA FOLLOWING ON LIFTING OF EMBARGO. INVESTIGATION OF RETAIL TRADE. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. SYDNEY, March 10. Coinciding with the Federal Government’s decision to admit 1000 tons of New Zealand potatoes into Australia, comes news of the worst glut of potatoes that north-western Tasmania has known for many years. A record consignment of potatoes is being collected at Burnie for shipment and a heavy drop in prices is expected when these' reach the Sydney market next week. Because of the marked disparity between the price that is paid for potatoes by the shops and _ the price paid by the public, the Director of. the State Marketing Bureau has ordered a special investigation into the retail price of potatoes. NEW ZEALAND ADVISED. LIMITED IMPORTATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Official advice has been received by the New Zealand Government of the Australian Government’s decision to permit the importation into Australia of 250 tons of New Zealand potatoes weekly for the next four weeks. The Minister of Marketing, Mr Nash, said yesterday that arrangements were now in hand to comply with the conditions suggested by the Australian Government. OFFICIAL VIEW VALUABLE TEST PERIOD. FOUR WEEKS’ LIMIT MAY NOT STAND. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. CANBERRA, March 10. The Prime Minister, Mr Lyons, tonight deprecated any attempt to associate the New Zealand potato question with the export of oranges from Australia to New Zealand. He added that the Government’s decision to allow the restricted importation of New Zealand potatoes was not necessarily confined to the four weeks mentioned. In an official announcement Mr Lyons emphasised that the position would be reviewed from time to time strictly in the light of Australian conditions and requirements and that the interests of Australian growers would always be considered. It is felt in official circles that the present limited import will provide a valuable test period from which a more permanent understanding may be derived.

i. i < / POLITICAL MOVE V < LITTLE BENEFIT TO GROWERS IN DOMINION. 1 CANTERBURY OPINIONS. i (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. , The announcement by the Prime , Minister of Australia, Mr Lyons, that the Government had decided to per- ; mit the importation of 250 tons of potatoes weekly from New Zealand for the next four weeks is regarded locally as a political move from which the New Zealand grower is likely to benefit very little. There is practically no chance of any potatoes being shipped to Australia this month because the New Zealand crop is not ripe and will not be ripening till well on in April. To dig potatoes for export now before the frosts have arrived would probably end in disaster. It is more than likely that the potatoes would not be in a good condition when they arrived in Australia, and if they were not Australia would be conveniently provided with an additional excuse for not lifting the embargo altogether. What attitude the Commonwealth Government intends to adopt at the end of the four weeks is not, of course, known, but prospects for a further opportunity for export from New Zealand are not considered encouraging. Recent heavy rains in Australia may not be too late to benefit the crops there, and it is possible that New Zealand potatoes will not be wanted later in the season. In the meantime the local market has firmed considerably. Today’s quotations ranged from £6 10s to £7 10s a ton. There has been little change in other markets ovei’ the week. DUNEDIN COMMENT. NOT MUCH CAUSE PERCEIVED FOR JUBILATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN. March 10. Neither growers nor merchants have much cause for jubilation at the decision of the Federal Government to permit the importation of a limited quantity of New Zealand potatoes into Australia, according to statements made to a reporter by a representative of the trade. The limitation of imports i to 250 tons a wek is regarded as hope- . lelssly inadequate from the point of . view of merchants on both sides of the . Tasman. “Two hundred and fifty tons will be like a drop in the ocean to the Australian market,” said the merchant, “and it will be of practically no material benefit to the New Zealand market. It is doubtful whether such a slight addition to the stocks in Australia will have any effect on th exorbitant rates ruling for tubers in the Commonwealth and the withdrawal of such quantities ’ cannot be expected to do much to imr prove the price of potatoes in this country.” He also said that the potato market ■ in New Zealand had lately been buoy- - ed up by anticipations of a new outlet ■’ for local stocks, but merchants would ' now be far from anxious to operate 3 and it was probable that there would r be a weakening in the market from its 1 present level of about £8 to £9 a ton. s Current rates for potatoes on the Aus2 tralian markets range from £l7 to £22 2 10 s a ton.