22 JULY 1949, Page 5

We are getting accustomed to the trading losses which Govern-

ment departments are constrained, under pressure, to admit, but to be told that the Ministry of Food has dropped £650,000 on this year's new potato crop, "on potatoes which deteriorated in transit and had to be sold for stockfeed or processing" does come as some- thing of a shock. If there is anything for which there is certain to be a ready demand by a public sick of old potatoes it is new potatoes, and why there should be any difficulty about getting the potatoes promptly to the retailers is left unexplained. Mr. Strachey admitted that he was not satisfied that the purchase of new potatoes by the Ministry of Food was a good arrangement " in perpetuity " and hoped it might be altered in future years. That does seem a good idea.