IMPORTATION OF GRAPES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 10

IMPORTATION OF GRAPES.

It was Mr. William Scott, .Commissioner for South Australia to the last New Zealand Exhibition, who was chiefly responsible for lifting tho restriction against the importation of grapes, and to that gentleman is duo tho thanks of I all those who have enjoyed cheap grapes each February and March since. Now it seems that there is a doubt if the importation of grapes from Australia will bo continued this ycar^' owing to tho fact, that shippers sustained a loss last season, and that tho local vintages were becoming heavier each season. The best grapes come from tho vineyards of-South Australia, and these possess a flavour that tho New Zealand grape can never attain." The trouble is the cost of transport. • Tho grapes have to be packed in good cases (with a granulated cork filling), sent to Port Adelaide, thence shipped .to Melbourne, where they aro transhippod to tho Now Zealand steamer. • Besides, freight, there is cold storage'charge on board, wharfage, and Id. per-lb., duty, so that to return any profit at all they should realise from 6d. to 7d. per lb. at-auc-tion. Buying at that price,. and taking.into consideration the proportion of. loss occasioned by over-ripo or shrivelled fruit, the retailer has to get. from lOd. to Is. a lb. to pay! The fruit merchant, who was supplying this information, states that no expects to | hear something definite next week from Sydney and Adelaide, but ho was of opinion that tho season promised so well in the grape' States that there would bo consignments again- this season. Thero was a fine lot of local (hothouse) grapes coming into tho market just now from tho Hutt and Nelson, which had realised 7d. to 9d. por lb. at auction. Tho Hutt vines wero roparted to bo in very heavy bearing this season.