ORCHARD GATE FRUIT SALES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 15

ORCHARD GATE FRUIT SALES

Growers’ Conference Discusses Rights (New Zealand Press Association/ BLENHEIM, November 12. He did not like the association of the terms “private sales” and “black marketing,” Mr B. W. D. Neal, president of the Marlborough Fruitgrowers’ Association, told delegates to the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation conference this afternoon. The conference was discussing remits which sought to give a premium to the growers who contracted to supply all their crop to the Apple and Pear Marketing Board. Mr Neal said he sold both privately (sales of two-case lots are permitted direct from orchards) and to the board. Other speakers said they were in favour of legal private sales being permitted without such sales being subject to penalty, as would be the case if a premium were paid to growers who did not make private sales. The remit led to an animated discussion on the rights of orchardists to make gate sales. Members mentioned abuses of the system which were outside the spirit of the legislation. The conference agreed to an amended remit, that the conference support the principle .that the grower who supplied all his fruit (except lawful unsolicited private sales) to the board would receive a premium.