BRITISH FRUIT IMPORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 94, 22 April 1935, Page 10

BRITISH FRUIT IMPORTS

NEW ZEALAND POSITION

The New Zealand Fruit Control Board's official organ, "The Orchardist," has compiled some interesting iigures relating to imports of fruit by Great Bntaan since 19& and including 1934. Total imports and- the sources- of supply of raw fruits are-liere.taken.for the hrst and the last year, and stand.as follows:— i 1829 in 1934 in lOOOcwts. p.e. lOOOcwts. p.c. *T%££ 24,871 ' -■"; 27,082 - British „ _ > ... countries ~ — -21.7 — 45.0 From NZ. .. 273 1.10 508 1.88 From Aust'lia 411 1.60 1.797 0.04 The above figures are interesting in that they show that over the years 1929-34 the United Kingdom has been consistently increasing the proportion of its supplies drawn- from Empire sources. During the six years reviewed the percentage has more than doubled, and if the tendency continues to manifest itself it is probable that in the course of the next season or two over half of England's fruit will be of British origin. , The total quantity increased from 1929 to 1931 and remained fairly steady until 1934, when it dropped appreciably. The only year when the percentage dropped was 1931, an increased total fruit importation happened to coincide with reduced exports from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. New Zealand fruit in the United Kingdom has shown a steady increase with the exception of 1931, when a slight drop, followed by a sharp rise the next year, occurred. In the two last years of the period the Dominion's total increased only slightly, but owing to the fact that England's total imports -tor. 1934 were considerably reduced as compared with the previous year, the percentages rose more noticeably. . ■ ■ In the case of Australia, both the qnnntitieS' and percentages increased steadily, with the exception of the years 1931 and 1934, when reductions occurred. Of individual countries Spain is the most important supplier of raw fruit to. the United Kingdom. During the. six years percentages of Spanish fruit have varied from 20 to 30. In the year 1929 imported Spanish' fruit amounted to 30.2 per cent, of the' total,' or considerably more than the total quantity received from, the whole of the Empire; in that year. ■■ Next to Spain comes America, with Canada and Jamaica vying for third place on the list. Factors that will probably tend towards a greater proportion of Empire fruit being absorbed by England are the efforts now being made to find export outlets for Australian citrus fruit and steadily increasing export from! Jamaica. The chief obstacle is Spain's proximity to the English market. ,•