WARTIME CANNING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 34, 10 February 1943, Page 4

WARTIME CANNING

SERVICE CONTRACTS FRUIT PRICES A HANDICAP

Exceptionally high prices for fruit, especially stone fruit, are proving a severe handicap to firms in the city engaged in canning for the armed forces.

"With fruit 'selling at the present high rates we find it very difficult to fulfil Government contracts," said the principal of an Auckland manufacturing concern, to-day. He added that the manpower position, which was becoming serious, had been partly relieved. His firm was converting about 2000 tons of tomatoes a year into juice. It often took the form of tomato soup. Other activities included the canning of meat and vegetables into army M and V rations, canning of green peas, bottling of apple juice, and the manufacture of jams and preserves. Over 270 tons of shelled peas had been used this season for canning.

Wartime exigencies have been responsible for a great growth in the canning industry, and many products formerly regarded as unsuitable for canning were now being so treated, the results being such that a profitable market should be assured after the war.

Another Auckland firm, whose manufactures are confined almost exclusively to pickles and sauces, reported that the entire output of some lines was going to the Allied forces, while of the total production of all factories some 95 per cent was going to the forces.