NEW ZEALAND APPLES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 83, 9 April 1928, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND APPLES

Till-; PROVINCIAL MARKETS (From "The Post's" Kepresentativ*.) LONDON, 17th February. Mr. 11. E. Stephens (London "roprcscntiitivo of the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board) has returned from a tour of the provincial markets. Ho visited Southampton, Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle; and Hull. The trade in these centres, said Mr. Stephens, wcro looking forward with very great keenness to the arrival uf the New Zealand apples, more especially because the West Australian fruit will bo oil: the market this year. The growers of West Australia had had a very poor crop, and they had over-sold what they had to the Continent. Of the Australian apples those from West Australia were the nearest approach in quality to tho New Zealand. "We hope to have a' wider distribution of our apples this season," Mr. Stephens continued. -"Witt an in-, crease of about 50 per cent, on last year's crop we must widen our market, and wo hope to give the producers much more this year. All the places I visited except Edinburgh and Newcastle (which get their supplies from Glasgow, Liverpool, or Hull) will be having direct shipments. "One thing is-common'to all the provincial traders. They are all anxious to have direct shipments. They arc. getting rather fed up with having to go to London for their produce. There is no doubt they are very keen.to handle New Zealand apples. I was bombarded by outside- brokers to be put on my list. It was rather difficult to make a selection, as many of those we already have cm the list arc there by the merest ;tcci- j dent, having got a footing before we I took control. Taking it all round, we j have got a very good class of broker in the country districts. \No doubt we can absolutely pick and choose, as they arc all anxious to handle our produce. Edinburgh is the one town I visited that does not seem to be very keen to obtain our fruit. It is a poor market compared with Glasgow. The Bristol people arc very anxious indeed for direct shipments. It is considered that buyers will pay 2s per case .more for fruit sent direct, than for that which is sent on from another market. The buyers naturally have the idea that fruit which is scut from Southampton, for instance, is unsaleable there."