Cherries bring enormous prices

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 18

Cherries bring enormous prices

New Zealand’s first consignment of cherries to Japan sold for up to a dollar each — a record price for the fruit. That was despite reduced quantities of fruit affecting sales.

The Japanese consignment — the first to the strictly quarantined market — was hampered by poor weather in the Marlborough area. The number of cherries damaged by rain reduced planned exports of between 40 and 70 tonnes to 17 tonnes.

The sales period was also delayed by 10 days to. December 22. The bulk of the consignment was sold by December 28.

The delay meant sales did not build up the momentum hoped for, the Fruit Federation export division

research and development manager, Mr John Mangan, has said.

When the cherries did arrive they were well received and sold for up to $4O a kg, about 90 cents to one dollar each.

Mr Mangan said the Fruit Federation guaranteed the packhouse $17.50 a kg for the cherries so growers can expect about $l2 a kg.

The return will also depend on the percentage of the grower’s cherries which were suitable for export.

Japanese quarantine authorities approved the import of New Zealand cherries in November last year after being satisfied that a fumigation process could ensure no codling moth survived.