SMALL FRUIT CROP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 121, 24 May 1935, Page 9

SMALL FRUIT CROP.

"OFF" YEAR FOR GROWING

EXCEPTIONALLY DRY SUMMER. (By Telofjrnpli.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Preliminary figures compiled by the Now Zealand Fruit Export Control Board show that the New Zealand fruit crop for the season just closed was the smallest since 1029. The drop is mainly due to the fact that the pact season has been one of (.he periodic "off" years for fruit-grow-ing; a year in which a relatively poor yield followed it succession of prolilio .seasons. Among the factors responsible for the falling-off wore the severe climatic conditions and exceptionally dry weather in the summer. In some orchards the production was. only half what it was in the previous year. With the exception of one more shipment, which will be dispatched at an early date,, nil of the past season's export crop has left the Dominion. Although the figures have yet to be closely checked, an estimate of tlio final shipment nnd a preliminary compilation of quantities already shipped) show that the exports of fruit from Now Zealand totalled 1,003,700 cases, consisting of 942,743.'ca5es .of applos and 120,057 cases of pears. The fruit exports for the season ended May, 1034, totalled 1,570,023 cases, including 1>449.952 enses of apples, This year's decrease, therefore, toUils 512,323 cases.