SURPLUS OF LEMONS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30278, 2 November 1963, Page 12

SURPLUS OF LEMONS

Output Rising, But Not Sales

(N.Z. Press Association) TAURANGA, November 1. Each year in recent times lemons surplus to public demand were produced during the early winter and spring. In spite of rising population, sales had not kept pace with increased production. Mr T. R. Hunt, of Tauranga, said when he addressed a meeting of the Bay of Plenty Citrus Growers’ Association. Mr Hunt, who is the chairman of the Citrus Marketing Authority, expressed concern art the possibility of increased plantings of lemons. He considered there were three main reasons for the lemon surplus. They were: Ever increasing private growing for home consumption. ' The price charged the public when the heavy cost of handling, packing and transport were added to the growers’ returns and retailers’ mark-ups. Free medicine had superseded the traditional hot lemon drinks for colds and other ailments. Mr Hunt considered that with considerable existing commercial plantings still below peak production, normal tree replacement would cope with any probable demand in the foreseeable future.