Distribution Of Apples

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31906, 6 February 1969, Page 10

Distribution Of Apples

Sir, —As one who buys apples and pears through the legitimate channels—the produce merchants—l, like other law-abiding retailers, would like to know what action the Apple and Pear Board intends to take this year to protect us. In the past little has been done, and it has been possible to procure better quality fruit at much low-

o er prices, delivered to the ; shop by illegal traders. They i trade openly and with no apparent fear of the law. Then ' there are the retailers who ( procure their fruit from grow- . ers, some of whom sell their) best fruit at the gate and ) 6 send the balance to the board. I > Those retailers who keep within the law have no chance of competing with the 1 ( [illegal trader, who can offer ['better quality fruit at lower; i prices.—Yours, etc., MONOPOLY. ) | January 28, 1969. ■ [Mr D. L. Waller, general , manager of the Apple and •) Pear Board, replies: “The i)board is fully alive to the thorny question of illegal iisales and it has consistently: [sought ways to stop them. With the introduction, this! s year, of the contract-of-supply - scheme the board hopes to [overcome the problem to a (degree where it is no longer a threat to the existing order-c-ly marketing system. The board’s inspectors are to intensify their surveillance to guard against breaches of the 3 contract. While not attempting to deprive the consumer ’•of the right to buy fruit from whom he pleases, the scheme • sets out to strengthen the pro-! [[visions of the Apple and Pear i Act, 1948, which the board - is required to administer, by ; inviting growers to ’pledge’ ' their support to the industry as a whole and the endeavours of the Apple and Pear Board in particular.’’]