A GLUT IN FRUIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 182, 22 April 1918, Page 8

A GLUT IN FRUIT

" Owing to the Jarge apple crop this year, and the impossibility of getting rid of the surplus, a serious position has arisen, says the Auckland "Star." We are informed by Mr. Harvey Turner, of Messrs. B. Turner and Sons, who has made a tour of the Dominion's fruit districts, that there are at present 250,000 cases of apples in tho cool stores-of the Dominion, whereas at this time last year the accumulation was 150,000. Applegrowers used to have a large and growing market in South America, but this has been cut off, and preference as regards' cargoes for England is given to essential articles of food and raw material. We learn that in spite of the crowding of our cool stores orders have been placed in Canada for 80,000 cases of apples, io come in,four shipments, arriving between September and December. It may be said that +be apples now in store will not keep until the-end of the year, but we are informed that they will keep long enough to render unnecessary the importation of tho first half of these Canadian shipments. Py December other local fruits will be coming on Hie market. It is stated that 40,000 cases of the Canadian orders could easily bo cancelled. Not only would these apples compete against those of'our growers, who 'this year have been severely hit by the war, but they would take up a large amount of space that might be filled with mora essential goods. Forty thousand cases make 1740 tons of, shipping space. "We hopa the Government will do what it can to protect our growers and economise steamer space.

Light is thrown on another aspect of the question by some -imported dried .apples -Vthat- were recently shown us. These apples, which Jcame, we believe, from America, were so we understand, for our soldiers, but whether officially or. privately we cannofesay. But the specimens we,saw were certainly very poor. .The pieces were'not thoroughly peeled, bits, of core had been left in, and thero were plentiful si>"s of the presence of codlin moth. "Why-should dried apples—even first-class dried apples —be imnorted into New Zealand when out cool stores are choked with fruit which growers hav« li'Ho chance of Krttinr? away? The - T'rii'tsrowers' Associations, arp considering Q\p ouestionnf the pint, and we. hopn .'thai tliev will consider ibis osnect. of it. Annies will not keep in ■ cool ■ store indefinitely, and if would be a prpal: waste if lnfi»e quan. tities- of our gr"at accumulation was allowed to ml-. Oould not laree ntnvilw <if fin 25".M0 cases be dried W the u=o of the soldiers nnd the public? It is of national imnortanco that encouragement shall be p'ven to our. fruiterowers. 'and the matter is oprfair-lv that deWands the immediate attention of the Government.