PRICE OF APPLES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29499, 28 April 1961, Page 14

PRICE OF APPLES

‘Complaints Justified’ (M.Z. Prese ASMeMttmj HASTINGS, April 27. Mr F. A. Lowe, a Hastings orchardist, told the apple and pear marketing inquiry today that he was concerned over complaints about the price and quality of apples and pears. / ”1 feel these complaints are Justified.” he said. "The board must take much of the blame for this—it holds a legal monopoly. "The handling of fruit by the board tip to the cool store stage Is unexcelled,” he said. "But with the job half done, the board lies down like a tired dog and does nothing more. "The board’s overseas work is good, but its internal operations are inefficient and financially disastrous. "Let the board concentrate on exporting, and run a processing plant for inferior types, and allow the local market to sort itself out,” he said. "The Public's Right” To Mr H. W. Dowling, for the Hawke’s Bay Fruit Retailers’ Association. Mr Lowe said: “I think the public has the right to buy good fruit, wherever and however it buys it.” Mr F. N. Horrocks (Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association) asked how an even distribution of fruit over New Zealand and a J balance between exports and local markets could oe achieved under the system which Mr Lowe advocated. Mr Lowe replied: "I think the industry should be ruled by supply of fresh fruit all the year round.” He said that the Apple and Pear Board claimed to be able to supply fresh fruit all the year round. “They can’t,” he said. “Fruit from a cool store is not fresh fruit. It is preserved fruit.” Present Scheme Favoured It could be “taken for granted" that Hawke’s Bay fruitgrowers were determined to keep the present scheme of marketing pip fruit by the Apple and Pear Marketing Board, said Mr H. Osborne in submissions to the inquiry. Mr H. W. bowling, for the Hawke’s Bay Fruit Retailers’ Association, asked: “Do I understand you to say that the fruitgrowers are satisfied with the price they receive from the Apple and Pear Board? Mr Osborne: It is a negotiated price, based on cost of production, and the fruitgrowers of the country have accepted it.