APPLE EXPORT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 76, 10 January 1928, Page 7

APPLE EXPORT

RESTRICTION ON VARIETIES. (Per • Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 9. When Mr T. W. Atwood (president of the N.Z. Fruitgrowers’ Federation) urged that the number of varieties of apples exported from tlie Dominion should he reduced, he touched upon a problem which at pl'esept is concerning both the -Department of Horticulture and the Fruit Export Control Board. Both are agreed that a limitation of varieties is desirable, but it is not clear how this is to be obtained. Mr Atwood recommended that the number of varieties for export should he reduced to eight, and of this eight it is recognised that Cox’s Orange Pippin, Jonathans, Delicious, Stunners, Cleopatras, and Dunn’s would be included. Last year, in the conditions issued to govern the granting of the Government guarantee on exported fruit, the Department stated that the standing of the New Zealand apple trade in England had been detrimentally affected by the- large number of varieties shipped each season. Many of these represented a few eases only, whilst others were not at all suitable for the market.

All those which had. been shipped in small quantities*, unless specially favoured, would not be forwarded after the 1927 season, and therefore did not appear in the export list. These included Allington Pippin, Baldwin, Blenheim Orange, Cambridge Pippin, Com-, merce, Crofton, Duke of Clarence, Golden russet Horn, John .Sharp, Sharp’s Late Red, and Wagner. Apart from this list, there were also a number of more or uess unsuitable varieties, such as Alfriston, Boston Russet, Brownlee’s Russet, Golden Pippin, Hoover, London Pippin, Parlin’s Beauty, Salome, Shepherd’s Perfection, Edward Lippiatt, Pioneer, Prejnier, RiKston, Pippin, 'Scarlet Pearmain and Stark Confusion. Multiplicity of shipping marks and difficulties in handling and marketing brought about this decision on the part of the Department. The difficulty remains in tlffe fact that many of these varieties are from trees well grown and in full bearing, and that in Some instances they have marketed at 3s or 4s above the guarantee, price. Gradually to remove the present trouble, the Department is encouraging growers to plant more suitable varieties, which, though they may not bear as heavily, will realise better prices, and not create the marketing difficulties which are at present in existence.