Europe demands top quality N.Z. apples

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 14

Europe demands top quality N.Z. apples

From KEN COATES in London In the face of intense competition from other suppliers, New Zealand must ensure that apples exported to Europe are of the highest quality, says the European director of the Apple and Pear Marketing Board (Mr N. Guymer). There have been “very severe quality problems,” with some New Zealand varieties this season, notably Golden Delicious and Stunner.

“Any fruit falling short of the highest quality would be better left in New Zealand for animal

food, or processing,” said Mr Guymer. After two bumper years for New Zealand — which supplies 15 per cent of Europe's imported apples — and a $l2 million profit for the board for each year, the prospects are for a reduced, but nevertheless, healthy profit this year. One factor that has slightly upset New’ Zealand's apple cart is a shipment from South Africa of an extra 20,000 tonnes of apples to Britain because of an over-abundance of smaller anples. Continental countries demand large apples, and only Denmark and Britain will accept smaller-sized fruit. But this means the British market has had to absorb more fruit of smaller size than usual, including some apples of questionable quality from Australia. This over-supply has had disturbing consequences, with prices as low as $8 a carton (18kg) for South African apples and $8 a carton for some Australian varieties. Although New Zealand apples have not sold as low as this, the market has not been so depressed

since 1976. New Zealand apples have been selling at $l4 a carton for Sturmers and $l6 for Granny Smith. Some lines of fruit from South Africa and Australia have also reached this level. The market has also

been affected by a large quantity of last season's French apples which were not disposed of through the European Economic. Community intervention scheme which ended in June because growers expected a.shortage in July. “This has meant an avalanche of apples stored since September, of indifferent quality, selling at prices from $5 to $lO a carton,” said Mr Guymer. Buyers were more selective, and standards of presentation were of importance. Mr Guymer said that although treatment in New Zealand of bitter pit (calcium deficiency) had been successful with Cox’s Orange, some Golden Delicious arriving on the market had been affected. Sturmers had been subject to bruising because of heavy rain in New Zealand in March. “On the brighter side the Continental market is proving most encouraging, Granny Smiths selling at $2 to $4 a carton above their nearest competitor,” said Mr Guymer. New Zealand ranks as the fourth largest apple exporter in the Southern Hemisphere.

It sends 30 per cent of its exports to Britain. 25 per cent to non-E.E.C. countries, including Scandinavia, Australia and Switzerland, and 45 per cent to E.E.C. continental countries, notably Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.