N.Z. APPLES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 13

N.Z. APPLES

HANDLING AND MARKETING IN GREAT BRITAIN

SOME IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS

Mr. H. C. Cameron, formerly Produce Commissioner for the New Zealand Government in London, who has lately retired, and who is now visiting New Zealand, by invitation delivered an address to the conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowere' Association on the handling and marketing of New Zealand apples in Great Britain.

Mr. Cameron said he was pleased to acknowledge the very great improvement, that had taken place in recent years in the methods adopted in the Dominion in connection with the grading and packing of the shipments sent forward. Shippers evidently now fully recognised the necessity for thorough grading if their fruit was to meet with the best results on tlio English market. He desired, however, to emphasise most strongly the importance of thorough grading, which he conBidercil to be of as great importance in regard to apples as it was with wool, mutton, lamb, butter, and cheese. In no instance should fruit of nn inferiorquality be packed with that of a better quality—not even to fill up a space. This was most important. Very great attention should bo given by whoever superintended the shipping of apples to the state, of the chamber in which they were carried on board ship, and to the manner in which the cases woro stowed, as the condition of the fruit on arrival in England must chiefly depend, he considered, upon this. Th<s chamber should bp cooled down, as in the case of meat, to the temperature at which it was to be maintained during the voyage. He also strongly recommended that prior to packing the apples for shipment they should, be placed in a, cool chamber and be kept there at a temperature of about 44 degrees until all latent heat was extracted. This would, of course, entail some additional cost; but Mr. Cameron said he felt, certain it would pay to have this, done. He was positive that if this was arranged for, apples could be sent to Great Britain with certainty of success; and if they could only be delivered there in a thoroughly satisfactory condition, the prices that would be realised would bo remunerativo to growers. Mr. Cameron said lie was not pessimistic as to the future of New Zealand apples. The English market, he added, was a good* one, and was likely to continue so for good sound fruit.. It was when quality went wrong • that prices went wrong also.

TEMPERATURE OF APPLE CHAMBER.

The temperature of the apple chamber on board ships should be kept at 30 to 40 degrees, and strict instructions should be given. to the engineer in charge of the refrigerating machinery to be careful that this was maintained regularly. Opinions varied as to the best temperature to be kept, but it had been found by him that these- temperatures had proved most satisfactory for apples. To keep the temperature about 30 and 34 dedegrees, as was customary, was, in Mr. Cameron's opinion, too near the danger limit. In storing on board ship great care should be tak..>n that no cases were placed in such a. position that the cold blast from the air-shoots could play on them, as if so the apples might be frozen and spoilt. It was also imperative that space be left between the layers of cases for the circulation of cold air, as, if the apples in the centre of the. chamber were not reached by the air they would undoubtedly heat and rot.

VENTILATION. Another matter that was of the utmost importance in connection with the conveyance of apples was tho proper ventilation of tho chamber. This could, be effected by an air-shaft passing from the deck to the chamber, underneath which a tray should be placed to catch any moisture that might find entrance through the shaft. Mr. Cameron stated that tho finest shipment of New Zealand apples that he had dealt with in London .was carried under such conditions, and the fruit was landed in excellent condition. When the chamber was opened, there was no heavy.or fruity smell in it, and everything was cool and fresh. The shipment, which was sent from Canterbury, could not, in his opinion; have boen carried under better conditions than in that instance. SIZE OF DESSERT APPLES. The- sizo of the apples most in demand, said Mr. Cameron, were about 2£ inches in diameter, which was recognised for dessert. The attractive New Zealand label recently adopted was highly spoken of, and he emphasised the groat advantage of advertising- in such a manner. He also advocated the use of sufficiently strong wood in the cases to stand handling, and took exception to the thin timber occasionally used \>j shippers as being 1 conducive to bruising during handling. j SHIPPING BY MAIL STEAMERS. In dealing with the question of marketing, it was pointed out that hitherlo shipments of apples were generally sent Home intermittently, and in carrro boats. Mr. Cameron advocated .making awangomonts with tho.shipping companies for flic conveyance, of apple shipments in the mail steamers which run at'regular intervals, and he pointed out that Southampton was becoming an important centre for the sale and distribution of fruit. Up-to-date salerooms w^re established there, and it, would be possible for apple shipments to be discharged without undue delay on arrival of the mail steamers, sold) afc that port, and distributed throughout the country as required. The New Zealand mail boats running to London now called regularly at Southampton, which was the only port on the flouth or west coasts of England into which steamers could go at any time day or night—not being dependent imon tide. From Southampton there was direct and speedy access by rail communication .to the great industrial centres of the Midland, the north and west coast. He strongly urged the members of the Fruitgrowers' Association to carefully consider the merits of- Southampton as a distributing centre for their future shipments, the advantages of which he considered were unequalled by any other port in Great Britain.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Cameron for his interesting address. ■