FRUIT EXPORT TRADE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 85, 9 January 1928, Page 12

FRUIT EXPORT TRADE

DIRECT LOADINGS AT NELSON FOUR ONERS ARRANGED FOR RECORD SHIPMENT THIS SEASON In past seasons the question of direct loading of apples at Nel= son for Britain Cias been a burning one in the minds of local growers and shippers. It will be good news to Nelson orcardists to know that their efforts have borne fruit in two senses, and that this season four oversea liners will call at Port Nelson to load large shipments for the United Kingdom. In 1926 the Port Hobart called at Nelson and loaded 72,076 cases of apples direct for London. Last year, as is pointed out in the annual report of the New Zealand Fruit Export Board, very strenuous efforts were made to have a steamer load at Nelson during the early part of March or late in February, but unfortunately no steamers were available of suitable draught or length which could make Port Nelson. It must be remembered in this connection that it would be unwise to load early varieties in a ship which might be delayed on the coast for a few weeks, especially such a variety as Cox’s Orange Pippin. In any case, Nelson would not have had available at this time sufficient fruit for the purpose, owing to the ery late maturity of the early varieties, and the practical failure of the crop of Dunn’s. Later on arrangements were made to load two steamers, the Delphic and the Horatius at Nelson, and these two vessels took between them 38,465 cases from that port. TENTATIVE ALLOTMENT. A Dominion representative was informed yesterday that as a result of negotiations with the overseas shipping companies, the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board lias been able to arrange tentative loadings for apples durinc the forthcoming season at Nelson. In the meantime it is understood betv v.en the two parties concerned that the allotments discussed are only tentative, and will be subject to alteration if found necessary by the shipping companies. The loadings agreed upon subject to the conditions above are:— Cases. Matatua, late February 28,000 Devon, middle March 43,000 Westmoreland, early April 61,000 Raranga, late April 15,000 147,000 The total export bookings from the Nelson province for the coming season are 572,000 cases. The loadings above will help considerably in the moving of this fruit, which is a much larger quantity than has previously been shipped from Nelson in any one season. The whole of these loadings will be for the United Kingdom.