RUIN FACED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 191, 13 August 1940, Page 8

RUIN FACED.

LEMON GROWERS. CRISIS IN INDUSTRY. LOW GOVERNMENT PRICE. A crisis has developed in the financial position of lemon growers in the Auckland district, which is so serious that the committee responsible for representing the producers on the Auckland Citrus Growers' Association has resigned from office, and has announced that it will leave others to "carry matters to a h ad." This opportunity, it states, will be given next month. Unless a solution is found quickly, some hundreds of tons of lemons at present ripening on the trees may be lost, affecting not only the producers but also the general public as consumers of the crop. After two or three seasons of Government fixed prices and rising costs of production, large numbers of trees have been allowed to fall into neglect, and to-day the deterioration of the lemon orchards is stated to be very rapid. "Hopeless Financial Position." When it was realised recently that the outlook was critical, a meeting of the principal lemon growers was called urgently last month to consider what action should be taken, and the following resolution was carried:— "That in view of the hopeless financial position of citrus growers to-day, and the fact that the growers are unable to maintain their orchards in production, and have in some cases to seek work elsewhere as wage earners, the committee of the Auckland Citrus Growers' Association be asked to bring about a public inquiry into the citrus industry, with particular reference to the wide disparity in the price paid by the Government to the growers and the retail prices paid by consumers." This resolution was considered and endorsed by the committee, which decided to inform all growers that, in order to carry out the proposal, the "full, concerted and determined support" of all those engaged in the industry was "absolutely essential." Heavy Loss Threatened. Placing the position before the growers in a prepared statement, the committee says: "It has become obvious that lemon growers are unable to carry on under the existing basis of prices piid to them. Therefore it becomes essential to take some steps to have an improvement effected at an early date. It is proposed to call a general meeting of Auckland citrus growers to fix some more satisfactory basis for settling growers' difficulties with the Government, than has existed in the past. If things go on much longer there will be no association or other organisation for ffiowers to look to, and the result will be, undoubtedly, the loss to jrrowers of years of toil and effort, and the money put into their lemon orchards." The committee declares that it "doe* not wish to be a scaremonger," but adds: "In view of the changing economic conditions to-day, and a changing outlook on the rights to freedom of prima: producers, it would be as well to bear in mind that growers who h»ve so far been able to relv on income from grapefruit and other sources will, quite possibly, find that, through having failed to take an active part in the struggle of lemon growers, their own turn will come next. The situation would, under such circumstances, then be a very grave one for a much larger section of fruitgrowers." The committee concludes that the failure of the growers to support its 'well-intentioned efforts" has left it no course but to resign and allow others to bring the position to a climax. Questionnaire to Growers.

Meanwhile growers are asked to simply information in reply to a questionnaire on six points, relating tu (1) a fair average, crop from a fullv-matured lemon tree, properly cultivated; (2) whether it is possible for growers to cover their orchard costs out of the present prices they receive, for lemons: (3) whether a public inquiry into lemon production would be the most effective method of obtaining an immediate .increase in the, price paid by the Government, or other financial assistance to growers; (4) to what extent lemon trees have.been destroyed in the past twelve months; (5) whether a growers* association is desired to assist in the industry, and (6) the age of trees in the various orchards. Included in the last question growers are asked to state whether they are. compelled to go out to work for an income on account of iiot being able to get a sufficient return from lemon growing. "The picking of the seasons -rop should have been started in the autumn, when the. lemons were silver green, and continued throughout the winter," said a leading member of the fruit trade in Auckland this morning, "but the growers seem to have become thoroughly discouraged by the effects of Government control of the price. The main portion of the crop is now past the condition in which it is most suitable for curing, and therefore will have to be disposed of locally. To ripen the lemons on the trees is against the whole ethics of the citrus, trade."