"TRAGIC TIME."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 200, 23 August 1940, Page 4

"TRAGIC TIME."

LEMON PRODUCERS. WARNING TO THE INDUSTRY. "Citrus growers dependent on lemons ] only are experiencing a tragically difficult time," etated the secretary of the Auckland' Citrue Growers* Association, Mr. Alan D. Thomson, to-day, following an analysis of replies received to a questionnaire recently submitted to the producers. He said 29 replies had been received covering average lemon tree holdings of 300 acres, or between three and four acres for each orchard. All the growers were emphatic that the price of 7/ a case now being paid by the Government, under State control of .the market, was insufficient to enable orchard costs, including labour, to be met over a period of years, he added. Twenty-five of the growers desired an immediate public inquiry into the conditions of lemon production, with a view to an increase in the price or other financial assistance, while four growers were opposed to an inquiry. • Destruction of lemon trees, so far, was reported to have been faixly small, although some growers had been reducing their areas, but neglect of large numbers of trees was stated to have seriousty affected the lemon producing capacity of the province. A general desire for a strong growers' organisation to deal with the problem was shown. Struggle For Livelihood. A third of the growers said they had been compelled to seek other employment on wages to supplement their income, owing to the low returns from lemons, while others etated that they had to depend on grapefruit and other sections of their orchards to obtain an adequate livelihood. '"It is only fair to the Government to say that it has effected a great improvement in the marketing methods," commented Mr. Thomson, "but it should not be concluded that the growers could not themselves have reached at least an equal result had they been given the complete powers now exercised by the Internal Marketing Division. Under the old marketing system, which was scrapped in 1938, the growers had no control of the importation of lemons and had no control of the orderly flow of fruit on to the Dominion market. Also they had no control of the manufacture of juices, lemon peeJ or other byproducts. "With all these matters well in hand, under its special powers, the Marketing Division has been able to claim considerable achievements in overcoming the former glut conditions, but it has not removed the difficulties under which the growers are labouring. The demand for lemone, as represented in the price of 6/6 a case originally paid by the Government when it commenced operations in respect of lemons in May, 1939, was the reverse of a reasonable figure in the circumstances. Bargain With Government. "The industry bargained at length, but being only a small organisation, and realising the urgency of some improvement in the market, it wae forced to accept a price which was below costs. On top of this, the drastic season from the production point of view, which followed, created a kind of stupor in the minds of growers, which has not been dissipated by the small increase of Gd a bushel case since made. No amount of debate on the question of what might happen to the production figures will alter the fact that growers dependent on lemons only are experiencing a tragically difficult time." The Citrue Association has warned grapefruit producers to beware of the dangers of Government control, as grapefruit has been a valuable source of income to many who have lost on their lemon crops. It is pointed out that, unless the present trend towards State regimentation is arrested in time, the Government may have to establish citrus orchards or import the fruit.