“Carton Costs In N.Z. Too High”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30563, 5 October 1964, Page 3

“Carton Costs In N.Z. Too High”

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 4. “The high cost of fibreboard in New Zealand is making it difficult for the Apple and Pear Board to compete for overseas markets with countries which can obtain cartons that are up to 40 per cent cheaper.”

This complaint has been made by the board’s assistant general manager, Mr D. L. Waller, after the report of the annual meeting of Coulls, Somerville, Wilkie in Dunedin. He said the board has complained to the Government over the high cost of cardboard containers in New Zealand. In his report, the chairman of Coulls; Somerville, Wilkie (Mr R. F. Barr) accused the New Zealand paper and cardboard industry of inclining toward monopoly and harming companies using their products. In explaining why the Apple and Pear Board had made representations, Mr Waller said: “To ensure that our fruit arrives bruise-free, we have been developing a tray-pack carton over the last three years and last year we exported 300.000 of these cartons. “The results were so encouraging that we plan to in ;

crease the quantity substantially next year. “However, the high cost of fibreboard is making it difficult fpr the board to compete for overseas markets.” Mr Waller said it was understood that New Zealand exported pulp to Australia and that some of the pulp was used to make cartons there. “In spite of the high cost of transporting this pulp. Australian fruitgrowers are able to obtain a superior quality carton for 20 per cent less than the New Zealand grower has to pay,” Mr Waller said. “We decided to point this out to the Government.”