GUARANTEED PRICES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1942, Page 6

GUARANTEED PRICES

TO GROWERS OF POTATOES URGENT NEED FOR MAXIMUM ACREAGE. ANNOUNCEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Guaranteed prices to growers for potatoes produced in the 1942-43 season were announced last night by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Barclay. He emphasised the urgent need for the growing of the maximum acreage possible in order' that civilian and ever-increasing Army requirements might be met from locally-produced potatoes. “I fully realise,” said the Minister, “that growers will require some incentive before they will be prepared to plant every available potato, and I know that no greater incentive can be given than to assure producers at this early date of the prices which they will receive for the potatoes they grow. With the prices before them, I feel that there is no need for further appeals to farmers to plant out an area of 25,000 acres, which the Government considers is the area required to give an ’ adequate safeguard to meet all potato demands next season.” Mr Barclay said that the basis of the prices to growers which he would recommend to the Price Tribunal for incorporation in an official price order was as follows:—

New Potatoes. For all varieties of immature potatoes (i.e., those easily skinned); delivery prior to February 28, 1943 (all prices are for delivery on trucks, growers’ stations, sacks included): — (a) Delivery prior to October 1, 1942, price left free. (b) Delivery between October 1 and October 15, 1942, to range between £3O and £35 a ton. (c) Delivery between October 16 and October 31, 1942, to range between £25 and £3O a ton. (d) Delivery between November 1 and November 15, 1942, to range between £2O and £25 a ton. (e) Delivery between November 16 and November 30, 1942, to range between £l5 and £2O a ton. (f) Delivery December, 1942, to range between £l4 and £lB a ton. (g) Delivery January or February, 1943, to range between £l2 and £l4 a ton. Main Crop Potatoes. (a) For all potatoes (other than Suttons and King Edward varieties) delivered on beard South Island ports on or after March 1, 1942 (sacks included): Delivery March, 1943, £8 a ton; delivery April, 1943, £7 5s a ton; delivery May and June, 1943, £7 15s a ton. For deliveries subsequent to June, 1943, periodic increment would be given which would bring the November, 1943, prices' to £ll a ton. (b) For all potatoes of the Suttons and King Edward varieties a premium of 10s a ton over the above prices would be given. (c) For North Island grown potatoes delivered on trucks North Island stations on or after March 1, 1943, the prices outlined above would apply converted to North Island parity. Though the exact amount which would require to be added to -achieve this resulthad not yet been calculated it would be not less than £2 a ton. In other words, Nortli Island growers would receive a minimum of £2 a ton more than the prices shown for South Island main crop potatoes. “I have approved,” he added, “a scheme to be drafted whereby growers will receive a payment of £7 15s a ton for any surplus crop occurring as a result of the Government appeal for increased potatoes. This will serve as a guarantees against financial loss in all cases. Arrangements have also been made for the supply to farmers of adequate labour for potato growing.”