30. Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is being done to dispose of the old potato crops dumped at the many farms throughout the country and for which his Department has spent so much money in buying up such crops.
Mr. AmoryPotatoes bought by the Potato Marketing Board under the guarantee arrangements as surplus to requirements for human consumption are being disposed of as rapidly as possible for feeding to livestock. I am informed that substantial quantities have been processed into animal feedingstuffs. The 1956 crop was, however, so abundant that it will not be possible to use all of it.
Mr. SlaterIn view of that surplus in the potato crop last year, and the publicity given to the matter, would it not be well to liberate those stocks altogether and even to offer them to hospitals and places like that to get rid of them beneficially, instead of letting them lie on the farms to go rotten and be of no use whatever?
Mr. AmoryThe trouble is that the demand is very inelastic, and, judging by experience, it is extremely difficult to encourage demand even by reductions in prices. Late as it is now in the season, I think that there are only very small quantities, if any, available on the farms still fit for human consumption.