BAN ON N.Z. FRUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 22, 26 January 1934, Page 7

BAN ON N.Z. FRUIT.

WILL IT BE LIFTED? Australian Experts Recommend Removal. CITRUS FRUIT QUID PRO QUO. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received 12 noon.) SYDNEY, this day. The "Daily Telegraph" says that following a conference of experts, the Federal Government will relax the embargo on New Zealand apples and pears. The experts have defined certain circumstances in which New Zealand pears and apples might be imported into Australia. The "Telegraph" adds that the lifting of the New Zealand retaliatory ban on Australian citrus fruits should follow. "The lifting of the embargo on pears and apples will be very welcome, for although not a great deal of this fruit is likely to be shipped to Australia, it provides a potential market which is at present closed to New Zealand, stated Mr. Harvey Turner, of Turners and Growers, when commenting on the above cable to-day. "Under the fireblight. restrictions New Zealand apples and pears have been debarred from export to Australia for a number of years. Ihe concession was not likely to relieve the Dominion markets to any extent, added Mr. Turner, "as West Australia and Tasmania produced all that was required. However, about every sccond year, when I the Australian fruit was exported, there was a shortage on the local markets at the end of the season. Fruit had been selling in the Dominion for 8/ and 10/ out of cool storage, when Sydney prices were Id/ a case, but the fireblight restrictions prevented advantage being taken of this circumstance. "What would be of greater importance," Mr. Turner said, "would be the relaxation of the embargo on the export of potatoes to Australia. Such a course would be a great benefit to growers, particularly in the South Island, and would mean more to the country than the lilting of the fruit embargo."