NEW ZEALAND APPLES

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1936, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND APPLES

HIGHER DUTY ASKED VICTORIAN EFFORTS MELBOURNE, September 18. The Victorian Fruit .Marketing Association decided today to support efforts now being made to have the Tariff Board increase the duty on New Zealand apples. It was contended that the increasing imports of , New Zealand apples are a danger to -the Australian grower. • The Minister of Customs has so far declined to grant the request. He claims that the present duty of 10 shillings a cental which has been < operating since 1921 is sufficient protection. In the last 15 years only 341 centals valued at £297 have: been imported.

N.S.W. VIEW DISAPPOINTMENT EXPRESSED General J. Heanc, president of the Fruit Growers' Federation of New South Wales, when interviewed in regard to the cabled announcement from Melbourne that the Victorian Fruit Market Association had decided 'to support efforts now being made to have the duty on New Zealand ,apples increased, expressed his disappointment at the attitude so indicated. He pointed out that any apples exported from New Zealand to Australia would find a market only in New South Wales, which State was a small producer of apples as compared with the\ southern States of the Commonwealth. New' South Wales received the bulk of its apples from Victoria and Tasmania. ,

The apple growers of. New South Wales, who were all members of the federation, he said, had already expressed the vie"w that they would have no objection to the importation of New Zealand apples into New- South Wales for trade reasons, and at no time in the past had the southern .States adopted any other Attitude. The only reason ever advanced by the appleproducing States of Australia against the entry of New Zealand apples was on account of the danger of infection by fire blight, which disease was not at present known in Australia. "It appears now, howeverj from the cabled announcement,'' he added,- "that trade reasons are being advanced, and this is particularly unfortunate at the present time when discussions are taking place to secure better •■ trading relations between the Dominion and Australia, and the delegation representing, the citrus industry of New South Wales feels that everything possible should be, done to enable the freer interchange of the fruits required by the consuming public." -General Heane also pointed out that in normal years the opportunity of marketing New Zealand apples in Australia was very slight owing to the surplus quantity available, the only possible markets being in Sydney and; Brisbane,' and it would appear therefore that Victoria, being anxious to exploit the markets of Sydney and Brisbane, was requesting the higher duty.