APPLES FOR EXPORT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21088, 13 February 1934, Page 8

APPLES FOR EXPORT

EFFECT OF HAIL ON ; CROPS FAIR QUANTITY MARKETABLE Many Christchurch apple growers '. had their fruit badly damaged by : the severe hailstorm which passed over Canterbury early in January, ; and until recently it was thought that the apple export crop had been .practically ruined. But it has been ; discovered that a fair proportion of the apples will be available for the overseas markets. While the damage done by the hail will cause a very big drop in the number of cases exported, the quantity marketable will be higher than was expected by the majority of the growers. The main problem will be the additional expense which will be entailed in picking over the damaged apples. This was indicated at a meeting of Waimairi growers yesterday by Mr B. G. Goodwin, the orchard instructor attached to the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch, who was asked to give several of the growers in the district (members of the Waimairi Fruit Growers' Association) an idea of the restrictions which were likely to be placed on the hallmarked fruit for export. Early Crop Suffers The meeting was held at the or-,-h-,.-<-) of Mr F W. Cone, Langdon s road Papanui. Before the subject was discussed, the growers who attended, with Mr Goodwin v,eie shown'round Mr Cone's extensive stands of apple trees. Mr Cone orchard was fairly in the belt of country through which the hailstorm passed, and the amount ot damage done to the fruit is considered bv orchardists and experts to be fairly indicative of the general experience. There the majorit" of the later and hardier varieties, including Delicious apples, escaped severe bruising from the larpe stones which fell, but earlier varieties--such as Cox's Orange, which is almost ready for pickingwere fairly badly .pitted. The marks have grown out to a certain decree, with the growtli of the fruit, but thev are stiil numerous and obvious enough on many thousands of apples. On the other hand, as was stated to have been the experience in many orchards, a good deal of the fruit is now bearing only slight signs of the hail damage; all this will be marketable and suitable for export, although the grading of the elected fruit wiil naturally be lower.

It was the degree to which marking by hail would affect the grading that Mr Goodwin was asked to explain, and during a demonstration which he gave with hail-pitted apples, the opinion was generally expressed that a larger quantity of the apples in the orchards affected would be marketable than the growers expected. Three Grades of Fruit. For export, apples are divided into three grades, being selected in each grade by the orchaidist, and then passed by the Government inspector if the fruit comes up to the regulation size, colour, and condition. These grades are known as "extra fancy," "fancy," and "good." It was explained by Mr Goodwin that no hail-marked apples could be accepted as extra fancy fruit. But fruit only slightly marked—iic indicated a number of c-pples with marks ranging in number from one to six or seven—would be accepted as fancy or good, according to the degree of damage. From a representative bag of applespicked from the orchard, and put through Mr Cone's grader by Mr Goodwin, comparatively few had to be rejected altogether because of hail damage. It was explained by Mr Goodwin, that in spite of the reassurance that he had been able to give the orchardists. the damage from hail would probably cause a serious drop in the apple export figures for the year. From Canterbury last season approximately 60,000 cases were sent away, while the present crops were expected to yield only 15,000 cases for export. The figures were also affected by the uncertain market, but it was realised that the hailstorm of .January was mainly responsible for the anticipated drop. Growers' Problems. The growers had been in a quandary over having to book their space in advance of the crop, for until some definite indication had' been given to them, they had no approximate idea of the crop which would be available. Even the indication he had been able to give was only approximate. It was very difficult, even when picking, to estimate how the crop would yield, because of the varying effects of the hail in the orchards.

One of the most important considerations was that of the cost of additional handling. To pick over the marked fruit and grade it as he had indicated would entail considerable additional labour and expense, and unless a grower could got 40 per cent, of It is crop away for sale, it would hardly be worth the added work and cost. The difficulty was to know whether the percentage of marketable apples, when ; picked, would be high enough. It seemed, however, that the percentage was higher in many crops thy:, was at first expected, Mr Goodwin said. GUARANTEE BY THE GOVERNMENT TRICES FOR EXPORT APPLES Exporters of apples from New Zealand during the coming export season will receive a Government, guarantee of 9s lid a case for extra fancy and fancy grades, and 6d less | a case on good grades. These figures will apply only to i apples classed as autumn fruit, in- j eluding Cox's Orange, Delicious, and similar varieties. On winter apples, such as Ballarat Seedling, Stunner, I «nd boxd :W"olsele.y_ varieties 4he

guaranteed price is expected to be a shilling a case loss all round. A prominent Christchurch applegrower, Mr E. Freeman, who gave these figures to "The Press" last evening, said that in the circumstances the guarantees were regarded by orchardists as comparing very favourably with those offered last year. For the 1933 export apples, 10s 6d a case was given for extra fancy and fancy grades, but of that amount the growers received only 3s 6d. This season there were indications that the grower would get a slightly better return. Railage and freight last season were so high that between 6s and 7s of the guaranteed price was absorbed in expenses. But the low prices received for the fruit on the Home J markets would probably have a | good effect on the prices realised | during the present season, for the shipments had been checked as a consequence, and the supply would be smaller. Loss on Late Cargoes Mr Freeman added that in his opinion the decision to give a lower guarantee for winter fruit was the outcome of the big loss suffered last year in the disposal of the guaranteed fruit of that class. The lower guarantee would tend to encourage export of the earlier varieties, which sold well and at a profit, and discourage the export of the unprofitable later crop. As an offset against loss by the Government through the fruit selling at a price lower than the guaranteed figure, the exporters are levied to the extent of ljd a case, Mr Freeman explained. ~Thc levy last year was made on approxijKtfttely .cases.