FRUIT INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 4

FRUIT INDUSTRY

CLOSE OF THE SEASON

GROWERS HOPEFUL OF PROFIT

(Special to "The Evening Post.") NELSON, May 10. The fruit export season for New Zealand ends ou Triday. Itr the Nelson Province tbe receiving sheds at Mapui and Motueka have been el'osed. and tomorrow will see the last export fruit for the; year handled at the Nelson wharf. Fortunately the shipping hold-up has come at-, the tail-end of the Reason. It has been', possible to send forward ' to Wellington all the fruit received. at Nelson; Email quantities have been held for some days at Mapua and Motueka, but these are expected to be cleared this week. . i The export total tor tbe province up to the end of thet week, was 722,828 cases, and it is expected that the final figure ou Friday, will be 724,000 oases. This represents a decrease of almc-st i»68,000 cases on last year's record export m 961,729 cases from this area. The 1932 crop was the largest on re cord for the Dominion, the export beinir 1,600.000 caßeSi but this year the total b not expected to exceed 1,400,000 cases. Part of the diaparity between the two figures may be accounted for by the re duced production in Nelson, and in addi ; tion the Hawke's Bay and Auckland area* show decreases. On the otfcer hand. Canterbury, Marfborough, and Otago show increases. J Marlborough ha 6 exported about 70.000.oases m&re this year than m 1935, and Otajo's advance is from 20,660 easeß last year to 140,000 cases this season The figures quoted indicate the importance of-the fruit-growing industry to the Dominion and particularly to tbe Nelson Province. The figures represent larpjs quantities Of fruit, .and it may. be;thoiaghi that the fruit grower is getting rich. quick, but that is not the case,. though Wftny do reasonably . Actually,, orchai'digti are finding it: hard to make, ends meet, and it is hoped that the export proceeds will be available much earlier this year than was the case with the 1932 crop. This year there has been a large reduction in advances to growers. In 1932 the advances to Nelson amounted to £184,000, made up from 4s per caee on 900,000 oa«e* and 3s per case on 40,000 cases to South America. This year ttere will be an advance of only 3s 3d per caee on abont 620,000 owes. There was no advance this year on 53,000 casM for South America. The balance of the export ib made up of good grade varieties on the lower guar antee and the no-Ctovertiment-gnarante>? lines. However, pricfes on the Home markets so far have been quite satisfactory, and with the rate of exchange in i their favour fruit, grfewers are optimistic] that the season will be a profitable one, j despite the decrease in production. ■ \