Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1951-02-28
PREDICTS TOP
PRICES
1851 CROP
Says Yam Festival
Responsible For
Sweet Potato
Progress In Area

City has sponsored TOR the past
three years has done a great deal
for the sweet potato industry in
this section of North Carolina
and had had considerable bearing
on the healthy sweet potato out
look for 1851" Henry Covington,
State college horticulturist and
sweet potato specialist said here
last night.
Covington told a group of far
mers and potato professors at
scheduled meeting here that the
yam festival is a definite asset
to the industry and in an inter-
view following the formal meet
ing said you can quote me.
Anyone who does not think that
the yam festival is definite
asset to the sweet potato crop in
this area is absolutely mistaken.
There are those who will say that
| it had something to do with. last
years decrease in price. 1t did
not have anything to do with the
price last year. The price was
affected by the curtailed allot.
ments of cotton and the substan-
tial tobacco allotments."
Covington told the group of
potato farmers in attendance
that from all indications, this
would be one of the best years
to raise sweet potatoes, and he
predicted a profitable price for
every bushel that is raised. He
urged farmers t. rlant every
acre that they could plant and
handle properly.
He based his prediction of an
increase in price in 81 upon the
increased planting of cotton, in
crease in tobacco allotments
along with the fact that most ex-
cotton farmers who planted
sweet potatoes last year are not
going to plant any this year.
Every year except last year
since 1912 farmers have received
a fair price for their sweet po-
tatoes. Last year with the entire
nation producing Is percent more
than the 1949 crop, the price fell.
However, it is my prediction that
there will be maybe rs percent
less sweet potatoes planted in
1851 than in 1850 and that the
price is consequently going to be
a high one this fall" Covington
said.
He also said that the govern
ment is requesting farmers to
plant just as many this year as
they did last year and to try to
produce similar number.
He also pointed out how some
sections of the state is privately
guaranteeing farmers a certain
price for their crops as an in
ducement to get them to grow
potatoes this year because buy
ers in those sections forsee a
shortage.
AS to the care of the crop, Gov
ington recommended that only
good certified seed be used, that
they all be treated, and that cold
hurt and other defects be closely
noted before bedding the seed
crop.
County Agent Charles Raper
said 1T looks like a good year
for sweet potatoes if farmers
will use the right kind of seed
and have them treated and turn
out a quality product"
E. w. Fonvielle, president of
the Tabor City Marketing Com
pany discussed the new method
of encouraging the treating of
seed stock this year, along with
the procurement of seed stock.
He pointed out that some of the
best seed stock available from
Louisiana has been bought by
the marketing company for $3.75
per bushell and that they will be
made available to farmers in the
area for $500. Others which have
been bought for $500 per bushel
will be sold to farmers for $1.75.
The research committee of the
marketing company will pay for
the difference in price.
In the treating of the seed po.
tatoes, instead of farmers haul
ing their potatoes to central dip
ping stations, chemicals will be
bought by the marketing com.
pany for $1.6O per pound and sold
to the farmer, who can do his
own dipping for only 80 cents
per pound. Again the research
committee will pay for the differ.
ence in the cost price and selling
price.