CITRUS FRUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 136, 12 June 1933, Page 3

CITRUS FRUIT.

NEW ZEALAND SUPPLIES.

QUALITY OF GRAPEFRUIT.

A sharp protest was entered at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, when a letter was read in which a. statement was made by a Wellington wholesale firm of fruit merchants that "New Zealand grapefruit cannot be compared with the Californian grapefruit." "For such a statement to go from this chamber is to damn the product of our own country without judgment and without trial," protested Mr. A. Seed. "If the fruit merchants did a little more propaganda on behalf of New Zealand fruit instead of imported fruit, they would be doing more service for tlieir country." The Chairman: Wo don't want to decry our own products, but tlie thing to put them on the market and let the public judge. . . Mr. J. P. Luke said the opinion expressed was not that of the chambei but of a local fruit merchant. The people in Whangarei who were putting the fruit on the market should take up the matter and ask the merchants to prove their contention. Mr. Whittaker pointed out that New Zealand also' manufactured excellent lemon peel, and it should be produced for export. The question arose out of a request from Whangarei Chamber of Commerce for information to further the export of citrus fruits from the north to the south of the Dominion. Large quantities of fine lemons and grapefruit were grown in the North, but owing partly to the lack of organisation and also want of knowledge of Southern markets and method of packing, some of the small shipments which, had been sent South had not been very successful. The chamber asked for suggestions as to packing and possible markets. There was a direct service with the South by the Port Whangarei. The secretary, Mr, H. S. Fail"child, submitted the letter to a Wellington firm, a copy of whoso reply he had forwarded to the Whangarei chamber. That firm replied that there was an excellent market for citrus fruits in Wellington at the present time, especially for lemons, which were realising high prices, and recommended consignments to be made as'soon as possible. Advice was given as to packing. "The New Zealand grapefruit cannot be compared with the Californian grapefruit," the letter continued, "consequently there is not a very keen demand for same, but payable prices will be realised, as Californian grapefruit is landing at very high cost at the present time." This question has been taken up by the Auckland Council of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, and it is a coincidence that a paper on the New Zealand poorman orange or grapefruit is to be read at the annual meeting to be held next Wednesday evening. Mr. N. R. W. Thomas, Chairman of the citrus committee, will summarise the information available and give the definite conclusions already arrived at as a result of the survey work done in conjunction with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The protest is being strongly supported by the Auckland horticulturists.