APPLES FOR EXPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 6

APPLES FOR EXPORT.

AUCKLAND LAGS BEHIND. NEW « DRIVE " COMMENCING. THE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE. "I shipped Munroß to England last year, and they netted mc 10/4 per case on rail here. Growers "who refused to ship, despite the Government guarantee, are now getting 7/ per case at the marts after keeping them five months longer and paying 2/3 per case storage." This was the statement made to a "Star" representative -by a leading orchardist, Mr. H. S. Izard, of Henderson, when asked for information concerning the prospects for fruit export during the coming season. After quoting the instance related above, he added: "These growers preferred to nurse the local market, bnt now they have seen the result of the season that is just closing they will change their policy. Last year •we shipped 9000 cases of ipples; this year \. c expect to snip at least 30,000. In the past we have had to rail our fruit to Wellington for shipment, as the quantities were too small to warrant the reservation of refrigerated chambers in vessels leaving from this port. Additional charges were thus incurred, which will be greater this year, as the railway rates for the carriage of fruit have been raised from Cid to 1/1 per case. We may have to send our Gravensteins to Wellington, but when our main crop, consisting of Munros, Delicious, Salome and Doherty, is ready we shall ship direct from Auckland. This will not only save "rail charges, but will lessen the chance of damage to the fruit in transit. The Government has stipulated for pre-cooling of fruit at a temperature of 45 degrees before shipment, and we will arrange for this to be done. Space is to be reserved for about 1500 cases of P. Barri and Winter Neiis pears." Mr. Izard, who is a member of the Fruits Towers' Federation, pointed out .hat there 13 a certain amount of diffi-.-uliy in organising a fruit export trade n the AucKland province, as tu<j grow.ng area is so scattered. Supplies will .otfie from New Lynn to Heuu-raoa. including Avondale and Oratia, f:oin rttia,iai and Port Albert, and from To K.uivhata, near Hamilton, not forgetl.ng the North Shore fruitgrowing areas. Many people flo not recoyniee the extent to which the Government has in order to encourage the export jf fruit. Not only is a guarantee given co pie orchardist of one periny j,el" 1 > on apples and pears, but ti.e Government also guarantees all raiT.agc and marketing charges from tiie trte to the selling place, waether that be Luiidua or Monte "Video. Some of t.ie items recognised, by ti>e guarantee may tie enumerated as follow:—Cost of case, cost of packing and grading, cartage irom the orchard to the nearest port or rail, pre-cooiing charges at the pjrt, ireight to London, lanuing, cart.ng ana selling charges at the other enu. It will surprise no one to learn that this guarantee involves the Government in ..he very substantial guarantee of auout 14/ per case. No matter how tue inarxet goes, the growev gets S/4 per a,.a at the tree, fcven the labeis and wiring far the boxes are incluuea >n tue guarantee. Moreover, the all-important •jueotion of finance is generous.y uen.t with. For charges incurred belurc the apples leave the country, such ts casing, packing, gradhy, ca.tage mid ra.la = c, b/ per <.ase is allowed. Of this amount, 2/3 plus the Id per lb guarantee lor tne 101b of fruit makes 6/. which is immediately available for the grower. Any amount t!;at is realised un sale over and above the appro.\imate hgures, 14/. reverts to the growers. L»st year pr.ces Tn London ranged from Hi/ to 22/, and consignments Irom the South ls.and to oouth America gave even better returns. According to Mr. Izard, there is every .ikelihood tnat the Auckland province, •vhkh has heretoiore been in tue baek- | ground as regards the export of fruit, will ere long be right in the picture, and .v this connection lie pays a high tribute to the local head of tlie fruit division in tii€ Department of Agriculture, Mr. Kiee, who came with an excellent record from Hawke's Bay, and has already done splendid work amongst the orchardiets vi this province. What may be designated a Departmental drive for export business will be launched early next month, when Col. Gray, chairman of the Fruit Control Board, Mr. J. A. Campbell, Director of Horticulture, and Mr. H. E. Napier, manager of the Fruitgrowers' Federation, will hold a series of meetings from Albany to Port Albert in order to make arrangements for the new export season. Already some 15,000 imported cases have been purchased by growers, from which it will be seen that there is earnestness behind this movement for a further expansion in Auckland's exports.