FRUIT TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 42, 18 August 1925, Page 6

FRUIT TRADE

TO BE BARRED FROM ARGENTINE,

(II TELE3R .PH.—SPECIAL TO THB POST.)

DUNEDIN, This Day

Regular consignments of apples for the Duriedin market are still coming from Central Otago. Delicious are now exhausted. The sorts now available are Stunners, Statesman, Doughertys, Rnkewood,- and Democrat. They are in "good condition and of high grade and quality. Prices are hardening. Five hundred cases of apples from Central Otago are in cool store for the Otago provincial court at the Exhibition. Advice has been ' received by the Otago Provincial Fruitgrowers' Council from tho Now Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, Wellington, to,the effect that it has received notification, unofficial as yet, that the Argentine Government has decided to put a prohibition upon the importation of all New Zealand fruit into tho Argentine after 31st December of. this year. The reason is not given in this case, but when the s-;ame embargo was spoken of previously thd reason given was the fear of introducing fruit fly. In the meantime, the news is not welcome amongst apple shippers, as tho past season has been a very satisfactory one in regard to the price re-, uli'sed for New Zealand apples on the South American market. As that market absorbs the over-sized apples, which are not acceptable on the London markei, tho loss of the South American outlet will be serious, more particularly to Northern shippers, who have availed themselves extensively of that market during the past two seasons. Only two small shipments have gone forward this s:ason from Otago to South America, but on both the,prices realised wero very satisfactory.

The report that fruit from New Zenland is to bo barred from the markets of the Argentine has been current in Wellington for some days, but no confirmation is at present obtainable here. The impression, however, among those interested in the export trade is. that it is correct. As soon as it. is verified representations will be made to the Government, on behalf of growers |md shippers- interested in this trade. Exports of New Zealand fruit to South America last season, amounted to 16,675 cases— the year before it .was 40,000 cases. This market is valuable to New Zealand orchardists in that it takes "big" apples, or a size too large for the London market. Tho loss oF this trade would certainly be keenly felt by New Zealand producers.