Luncheon marks start to board’s apple season

Press, 26 April 1983, Page 43

Luncheon marks start to board’s apple season

NZPA staff correspondent London The E.E.C.’s “voluntary restraint” formula for cutting down imports of New Zealand apples was “a funny name for a cosh,” says the Apple and Pear Board’s European manager, Mr Neil Guymer. He was speaking at a luncheon to mark the start in London of the board’s 1983 season. The Minister of Overseas Trade, Mr Cooper, said recently that New Zealand had agreed to restrict apple exports to the European Community this year because of high production and stocks within the E.E.C. Exports would not exceed 52,826 tonnes, compared with nearly 54,000 tonnes sent last year. “Most people interested in the fruit business were convinced even as long ago as September or October last year, that the so-called record northern hemisphere crop of 1982 would not store well,” Mr Guymer said. “The weather at harvest time was far too hot, for one thing. “Nevertheless the Com-

munity plodded on and eventually came up with a ‘voluntary restraint’ formula.” He said, to laughter “What a funny name for a cosh.” Mr Guymer said, “Northern Hemisphere lobby groups appeared convinced that we, with our Southern Hemisphere drop in the bucket of about 350,000 to 375,000 tonnes of fresh summer imports, would ruin their chances of disposing of a guessed seven to eight million tonnes. “Rubbish — I mean not all the fruit but the philosophy.” Britain will again be New Zealand’s main market for apples and pears, with the volume expected to be close to one million cartons or 20,000 tonnes. This is a third of New Zealand apple exports to the whole of Europe. New Zealand Cox’s Orange apples, which arrived in London two weeks ago, have been fetching good prices of about $3O a 401 b carton wholesale. Describing Cox’s Orange as “the key which opens the

door to your market each year,” Mr Guymer said, “we do not compete with British producers. We complement their production and provide an extra spin-off to the British marketing people by maintaining in consumers’ minds an awareness of this most famous apple over a longer marketing period.” The Apple and Pear Board’s promotion camBin London this year res the slogan, “New Zealand . . . more than just delicious.” Full colour advertisements show the eight exported apple varieties, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Stunner Pippin, and Red Dougherty. The trade campaign includes advertisements in the fruit and food trade press and 6000 point-of-sale kits in retail fruit shops. The consumer campaign will feature posters in high streets and shopping precincts in London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bradford, and Leeds. The New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr Bill

Young, speaking at the launching, said that the apple trade to Britain had until now not been subject to the undesirable restrictions the E.E.C. had put on lamb and dairy produce. However, at the request of the E.E.C. which feared a big over-supply, New Zealand had undertaken to ensure its exports to the E.E.C. would not exceed 52,826 tonnes. Other Southern Hemisphere suppliers had given similar undertakings. “This indicates our preparedness to co-operate with the community in limiting supplies when E.E.C. apple stocks and production are thought to be high,” Mr Young said. “However we do not like generally any further restrictions on our export trade and certainly in this case we could not see the need for voluntary restraints.” In fact, dry weather in New Zealand and elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere had reduced the likely apple harvest this year from levels predicted earlier, Mr Young said.