CITRUS FRUITS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 67, 16 September 1936, Page 13

CITRUS FRUITS

ORANGE CONTROVERSY

N.S.W. VIEWPOINT

Mr. P. G. Macdermott, a member of the New South Wales Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries, comments on remarks made by Mr. C. N. S. Mueller with reference to the citrus fruit import trade.'

Mr. Macdermott states' that Mr; Mueller's comments are, to : one with an intimate knowledge of the citrus industry of Australia and the position as it exists in New Zealand, rather pathetic. . : "They can be understood," he adds, "when it is realised how difficult it is to justify the present position in the eyes of the-New -Zealand ■consumer, who is quite aware that "New South /Vales- has : ample supplies,'of'choice-: quality oranges and mandarines, which' the growers are anxious to supply/ at values Very considerably below those now ruling in New Zealand. "No one with a knowledge of the trade would attempt to deny the outstanding quality of a percentage of South Australian navels, grown in certain districts of that State. Mr. Mueller, when mentioning the fact that South Australia sends fruit to the Sydney market,-might also have mentioned that the quantity was about 50_-l cases per week for a:few weeks in the" year, when from 10,000 to 20,000- cases per week-of New South Wales oranges were being sold on the same market. He also did not mention that these few South Australian navels realised higher values than-New South Wales navels, and that for every case of them sold for ship's stores there would be at least 106 cases of New "South Wales navels also sold for-ships' stores.

"As far as Valencia oranges are. concerned. New South: Wales.has nothing at all to fear from South Australia on the question of quality. Reports received by me'from my. principals in the United Kingdom are to the effect that no better Valencias have been marketed in England than those sent by New ■"• .'South. Wales.,:. I. would also i like to say that from t,he same source J I was advised, that, the.., South Australian navels sold, "on the ;London market were the": finest- 'navels ever ; imported into England. : ' • ' ':■ ". "Mr. Mueller's statement in regard to South Australia's production is j quite correct and in accordance with j the figures given by me as to the acreage under, citrus in South Australia. This, by the way, was not my estimate, as he states, but is the figure supplied by the Government Statistician. ■'■■ ' . • ■ ■ '-i "He is also probably, correct m his ; statement that South Australia can supply all the oranges New Zealand is likely to require if he had added at the present high values,' which prevents so many consumers from obtaining oranges, to the detriment of the health of both children and adults. If oranges were obtainable at prices that would be ruling if New South Wales fruit was admitted,. South Australia could not fill the requirements of New Zealand as well as those, of her own State and Victoria. OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC. General Heane, .president of the Fruit Growers' Association of New South Wales, also states:— "Whilst not wishing to enter into controversy with' Mr. Mueller, I weir come the publication; of his statement as it provides the .consuming public of New Zealand with a further oppor* tuhity of considering the position and deciding themselves as to whether they are called upon to pay excessive prices ior their much-needed oranges. It would appear from the statement made by Mr. Mueller that the prices are no higher today than in 1932, but the weight of evidence and the consensus of public opinion is assuredly against such a contention.; "Mr. Mueller challenges certain figures, and suggests, unfortunately, that I have deliberately' mis-stated an export case of 1.42 bushels as a bushel case. The only answer I care to make is to refer your readers to New Zealand, official figures, no doubt .prepared by a Government statist, which put down that tl)e 1932 imports from Australia were 10,063,427 pounds. This was used by me and divided by 45 to reduce to bushels. The figure of 223,631 would therefore seem to be as nearly correct as possible. "Mr. Mueller refers to a quantity of 10,000 bushels from one packing house in New South Wales having realised a gross average of value of 13s to the retailer during the 1932 season, which, if correct, could have little bearing on the general average, as the quantity* mentioned represents a small percentage of the whole. If, however, this is taken wiith his farther statement that he is prepared to market all the oranges New Zealand may require at 12s 6d per tyishel 'landed,' it would suggest that the present price is no higher than the 1932 price, but your readers know that the facts are not so, as can be seen by the frequent references to the high prices which are so obvious to the' most casual observer." .