No, Sir; the recent shortage has been due to the severe weather and supplies are already better. Growers' fixed prices were increased by 7s. per ton for the 1946 maincrop to cover extra labour costs, while the cost of transport is met out of the merchant's margin. Growers have, in fact, done a remarkably fine job in loading potatoes during the bad weather, and have sent to market more than might reasonably have been expected.