Flush of fruit in Horotane

Press, 28 December 1979, Page 1

Flush of fruit in Horotane

Three weeks of nor’westers, extremes of temperature, and rain have caused problems for some fruitgrowers in Horotane Valley. The heat has brought on early Newcastle apricots in quantity, and yesterday rain was threatening to split the fruit. One some orchards people worked hard all day to bring in their crops. They were concerned that they would be unable to get any produce to the market as it would be closed for four days until Wednesday, and gate sales were not brisk enough yet as many people were unaware the season had begun. “All the early apricots and plums are ripening at once,” said Mr Tony Burnett, of 49 Horotane Valley Road, yesterday. “Getting rid of them is a problem, and the whole family is working hard to box the

fruit, as labour is hard to get over the holiday period.” A reasonable crop of late fruit was also hoped for, but much had already dropped green from the trees. Extremes of temperature and rainfall, as well as a shortage of water in the Horotane Valley because of heavy draw-offs, were ail responsible for the early drop of the late fruit and the simultaneous ripening of the early crop, Mr Burnett said. Apricot prices in the valley are competitive, and are expected to remain so until after the New Year. Most good quality fruit, as well as fruit for jam, yesterday was selling for less at the gate than at the markets. At one orchard yesterday apricots were selling between $2.50 and $5.50 a 4.4 kg box. Plums were selling between $3 and $0.50 a box.