EXPORT OF FRUIT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 130, 26 February 1929, Page 12

EXPORT OF FRUIT

SHIPMENT TO HAMBURG

THE BOARD EXPLAINS

Without wishing to comment on a matter which is to come before the Supreme Court shortly for decision, the secretary of the New Zealand FruitExport Control Board, Mr. H. E. Napier, made a statement to a “Dominion” representative jjsterday in regard to the proposed consignment by a private firm of a quantity of apples to Hamburg. “Various statements,” said Mr. Napier, “have appeared in newspapers throughout the Dominion in which comments are made regarding the position which has arisen in the fruit industry, owing to a commercial firm wishing to make a sale of apples f.o.b. to a firm in Hamburg. In view of the fact that this question will be dealt with by the Supreme Court in the near future, the Fruit Control Board has not considered it desirable to make any statement. Nevertheless, the articles appearing are inclined to be misleading and the board wishes to make it clear that the action it has taken this season is in line with the control policy which was adopted at the beginning of 1927 and has been carried on successfully for the benefit of primary producers up to the pr< nt. Under the circumstances anyone acquainted with the position must have known the risk they were taking when entering into negotiations for such a sale.

“No Actual Hold-up.”

“References have been made to the action of the board in holding up shipment of part of this consignment which was forwarded to Wellington. The fruit concerned was received by the board and shipped in its rotation for distribution in the usual way. No actual hold-up took place. The fruit was placed in cool store, awaiting shipment, immediately on its arrival in Wellington. From one source the board is accused of ‘smart business' in that it made a sale to the firm with whom the other parties were negotiating. The c.i.f. sale which has been made by the board has been made to a firm who, as far as the board is aware, have not been mentioned in previous correspondence, so it can hardly be held that the board has adopted any ’smart business’ tactics.

“Further,’ 'said Mr. Napier, “the board made a sale of 25,000 cases of one variety and it holds that a sale such as this, which will absorb practically the whole of that variety suitable for the Hamburg market, is not likely to prejudice any shipments going to other parts of the Continent. Those interested in the fruit industry agree that the sale made will be advantageous to the growers participating; further, under the board’s sale, all growers whether large or small enjoy the same rights of placing for sale what fruit they have available. The interests of the individual grower have thus been conserved by the board and whatever advantages are secured by the sale are properly passed on to the actual producers Of the fruit.”