TROPICAL FRUIT SHIPMENTS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26639, 26 January 1952, Page 2

TROPICAL FRUIT SHIPMENTS

BANANA CARGO FOR LYTTELTON

MATUA EXPECTED AT WELLINGTON

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 25. The first big consignment of bananas Intended for Wellington tor several years, u scheduled to arrive on Monday from the Pacific Islands. The Matua, commissioned in the new service instituted by the Union Company, is bringing 24,<XX) cases for discharge at Wel'lington and Lyttelton.’ About 9000 cases will be available for Wellington distribution. The Matua will bring another’ shipment to Wellington at the end of February. A shipment of oranges from Jamaica arrived in Wellington aboard the Duquesa yesterday. „ Mr Ross Walker, manager of Fruit Distributors, Ltd., said to-day that a second shipment of oranges for Wellington would arrive from Jamaica about mid-February in the Port Auckland. The quantity of oranges available from Jamaica had been substantially reduced because of a food shortage there, and a consequent rise in fruit consumption. ’ There Was almost a famine of oranges in Australia, he continued. Small shipments of island oranges would reach New Zealand at the end of April and in May, but the next consignment of any real size would not come until the end of May, from South Africa. “It thus appears," Mr Walker said, “that there will be a shortage of oranges during March, April, and May. This could have been overcome had dollars been available for oranges from California. The fruit can be bought there at present at prices lower than in any other part of the world, and it seems a pity (that New Zealand cannot avail itself of this opportunity."