EXPORT FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 130, 4 June 1931, Page 9

EXPORT FRUIT

' SEASON'S RECOED

INCREASING FIGURES

Now Zealand's fruit export trade is an industry which has made remarkable strides within the last few years, states the "Nelson Evening Mail." Shipments handled by the Fruit Export Control Board during the 1931 season constitute a record, 1,267,000 cases being exported to all markets as against 1,231,000 cases for last year's season. This year's total was niaGo up of 1,213,000 cases of apples ana 54,000 cases of pears. Wellington loaded the largest quantity of fruit in any one season in its history, no fewer than , 2,070,000 passing over the local wharves into tho holds of overseas liners. This year is the first occasion on which "Wellington has -ever exceeded the'million mark. As "with other lines of. primary produce, the United Kingdom is still New Zealand's most important market, and at least two-thirds:of thisryear's; total crop has gone, or is on the way, .there. • .■ '; ;•.'.. ' : . ■ . ': • ": , With'its total of 118,000 cases, Auckland has produced a record crop for export. The way that that -province -has -,'come into the fruit 'export, trade during the past season'is little .short of remarkable. Another pleasing feature is : that it' was possible ■ for;, the ■ province to ship every case of its biggest crop' 'through the port of Auckland. This has not been possible in the past, for it was always found necessary to rail a certain portion to Wellington and ship it from there, particularly at the end of the season. The; Poverty Bay export figures are slightly down, when compared with those for the previous' season. The district, 'however, has had a pretty fair season, an&the decrease is comparatively small. Although the fruit exported from Hawkes Bay this season is not as large a quantity as last year, the estimate of output made at the start of the season has been exceeded. This season's export amounts to 211,000 cases, which is a decrease of about 30,000 cases, when compared with last year's ex-. ports. It is worthy of mention that the decrease is a natural decrease and. not due to the disastrous earthquake on 3rd February, as might be expected. Very little fruit was lost as a result of the earthquake. NELSON'S GOOD YEARS. Threp heavy showers of hail at the commencement -of the season robbed . Marlborough of a lot of- its-crop, but with 59,000 cases prepared for export it las done exceedingly well. But for those hailstorms there--is no. doubt that Marlborough would have had a record ; year. Nelson is in the position'of having had. two record seasons in, sucees; sion—rather an unusual occurrence in the fruit industry. Last year the Nelson Province prepared 780,000 cases for export, and up to then that was the record. This year the district has done better still, and in what was previously expected to be a'lean season it has exported 815,000 eases. The dry weather is possibly responsible-for-, this year's success. ' ■ . ...,.'_!•■• ■.■.! Christehurch exports are,also \a- record, . 20,000 cases being _ sent overseas from the province. The previous,biggest export from Christchurch. was in . 1929, when.the-output amounted to 8000 cases.' . As- a result of a poor crop, Christchurch did not export at all last year. ;The increased activity shown on the part of Canterbury is a'clear indication that the growers there are looking to the export market for their increased production. ■• Otago exports are not handled by the board, but last ...year's shipments from, that province ..-. .jtotalled.loo,sll--cases.aiThis'yeaiy'how-• <>ver, it is understood there has been a decrease, and that the exports are round about 80,000' cases. Less Nelson fruit was loaded at Nelson for direct shipment during the past season, the majority of that province's output having been' shipped to Wellington for overseas loading s there; In 1929 the whole Dominion' output for overseas consnurnptiou was just over the million cases. • THE CANADIAN MARKET. Canada was 'supplied with 17,000 cases during the season, 1000 going to Vancouver and 16,000 to Halifax. By working from both coasts the -board is endeavouring to build up a solid Canadian trade. Exports to South .America have dropped heavily, and'this year only 46,000 cases were sent 'there, as against 157,000 last year. The object of this is chiefly the adverse exchange and the fact that tho Argentine has placed a duty on New Zealand fruit. Further, the board did not.feel justified in shipping larger quantities because even the local grown; fruit in Eolith America was not by any.means realising high,prices: . In addition to 380^000 cases shipped direct-to Hook of-Holland, over 52,000 •cases liavja been sent there this season 'by way of transhipments from London. From the Hook tho fruit is distributed to European countries, the board's Agent" working through sub-agents, and jn'arketihg according to market reports. Shipments to West Coast of England ports .during the 1931.. season were distributed as follow:—rLiverpool,. 3.4,000 oases; Avonmouth,. 15,000; Glasgow,' '■:<JS,O'OO; Manchester; 41,000; making a total of 155,000 cases. Most-of. the shipments to Southampton are sold in London, although a certain' quantity, finds its way to Glasgow by coastal vessel. , . ■ ■■-... - .' Thßj quantity of pears "exported this year is about the same as last year, when-there were 55,000 cases. Fortunately it has been possible this year to get most of the pears into' pear chambers. Difficulty has often been experienced in this respect, and it .has been necessary to forward them in small parcels in apple chambers. It. is felt that if peaches could be' transported satisfactorily a fair trade could be built up with them. Last year one New Zealand grower sent abroad 27 cases of walnuts, the results proving satisfactory. The same- grower sent a further small shipment overseas, this year. ■ - . ■ . - ■ FOR THE CONTINENT. Present.'indications from the Continent are .that prices will be very satisfactory, although there is the difficulty that towards the end of the season three Continental loadings went away together. This difficulty, however, may possibly be got over by'diverting somo : of tho fruit. 1 Details of the quantity prepared for export by tho following", provinces are as follow: — Auckland ...' 118,000 ' Poverty Bay 17,000 Hawkes Bay' 211,000 Wairarapa 18,000 Marlborough 59,000 Nelson 815,000 Christchurch .. 29,000 •Total 1,267,000 Tho number of cases exported through the various loading ports is as "follows: — ■ '.;'■. Auckland 118,000 ' Lyttelton , 29,000 Nelson • ' 50,000 • Wellington 1,070,000 Total 1,267,000 Discharge ports of fruit sent from New Zealand are: — London 407,000 .Southampton 262,000 West Coast, ports .. 155,000 Hook of Holland .. 380,000 South America ... 46,000 ~. Canada 17,000 Total .■■ 1,267,000 i