Fruitgrowers Told Board Would Be More Selective

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30536, 3 September 1964, Page 20

Fruitgrowers Told Board Would Be More Selective

(N.Z. Prest Auociation) AUCKLAND, Sept. 2. The New Zealand Apple and Pear Marketing Board would have to be more selective in future in the grades and sizes that it could accept for sale, the chairman (Mr K. B. Longmore) said in Auckland today. Addressing the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Mr Longmore said the time must come, if it was not already here, when domestic and lower-grade fruit, including that affected by climatic disaster, could be used only for processing and not sold as fresh fruit The current year had been a difficult one, Mr Longmore said. Crop estimates were unreliable, resulting in a very late rise of 200,000 cases in the quantities to be handled by the board. In addition growers suffered severe hall damage in Auckland, frost damage in Hawke's Bay, and an estimated loss of 50,000 to 60,000 cues because of wind in Otago. “This, led to a larger proportion of lower-grade fruit being received by the board, of which large quantities were diverted to the Nelson cannery. It is quite obvious to the board that as the crops increase and the quantities to be marketed both in New Zealand and overseas become greater, the board will have

to be more selective in the grades and sizes that it can accept fbr sale.” 36 Export Markets Mr Longmore said the board continued to develop export markets. It had 36 overseas markets now compared with seven only 10 years ago. The main market was still the United Kingdom, which took 1,450,000 cases this year. The Continent and Scandinavia took 550,000 cases and other markets slightly more than 320,000. The most spectacular rise in these other markets was in the Eut— Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines—where the quantity had risen from 9000 cases six years ago to slightly more than 100,000 this year.

“The cost of presenting our fruit on our overseas markets is still rising, and the further development of traypack this year has had its effect upon costs, although there are signs that the buyer is prepared to pay a premium for such packs as they minimise bruising and therefore allow them to sell every apple they buy." Mr Longmore said it could not be expected that the board would show a profit on its local market working this year. The quantity was the highest the market had been asked to absorb since 1946, and as turn-over in general was controlled by price, it was obvious that the returns from the local market were below cost. He could not say as yet what the deficit would be.