FRUIT EXPORT PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 120, 17 November 1936, Page 16

FRUIT EXPORT PRICES

WORST ON RECORD !

PROPOSED AID FOR GROWERS

(By Telegraph.—l'ross AssoeiittTon. i

NELSON, November 10. ! The fact that the average return par case of export fruit sent to the Unite j Kingdom during the past- season was as low as 8s 4Jd New Zealand currency ( (it is estimated that 10s is required for export to be a payable business), said the secretary of the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board (Mr. W. Benzies) when explaining the method of adjustment of the guarantee at a mooting .of 'fruit.-growers' hild at Mapua. However, by an"arrangement regarding the guarantee fund and the distribution of Government contributions to that fund as a grant, instead oE a loan each grower is to receive not less than 9s a case. Mr. Benzies said it would be recalled that the board had a three-year arrangement with'the previous Government for the granting of loans to growers on fruit not making 9s. -However, the board felt that that would-in no way meet the position this year, and had asked the Government! through the Hon. W. Nash, Minister of Finartee, to help the industry if the season resulted as it was feared it would.., Mr. Nash had sailed for England before the final figures had been received, but from a cable from London stating lha total amount realised the board knew the average return would be 8s 4Jd New.. Zealand,;currency!.'.(6s ~lod';sterling), a position.which, has ;neyer: been experienced before:. .;. Mr. Nash was .told' of.' ; the position, but he said; the' Gbyernm'erit could riot go. further .than, .its' previous commitments for the ISJMt season^ 'However, the Government,:;;iv,o ; uid .not,be against the board- distributing-money collected for the guarantee fund by a levy oil growers. The £25.000 set aside' could also' : be' paid out'as a grant and- not-as a loan to growers.' ; : ;>: ."/' '^ .DISTRIBUTION OF FUND. 'The 'board.had decided' that all growers, whether-claimants .oh , the guarantee or ■ not;.."were- to- be reiunded the amounts they had paid in the guarantee levy during,the last .three years —l^d per case'iri. 1934,,3id'in; 1935,- arid i 2id.in 1936, niakihg 7jd-iri "-all.'' .That money would■ how ■ go, back, to'" the. grower. '■■ There -.wtete claims oil , the guarantee, of £43.000.■•".'' There wa.3 £25,000 of: 'Government, contributions] in the fund, 'and' it''would be -distri-i buted .as a''grant.'-and hot as . a■■ loan; The' boardUiad two .objectives in. ,iU present rafrangemetits,,: to , ; make. Sure that each: grower-. gets', back theamb'uht; he has paid into ''.the fund, and to ;en; sure thatno'.exporter ,(\yith--.the'market return, return of, /fund, andf; Government grant) less than "9s per, case iov the season's .export. ,;'.:.''. ').[ • The-arrangement-,fdr. the .coming season had also', been;;discussed;:'said Mr. .Benzies, arid)the 'best terms--the Government • was:iikely:-tp-.:;give':were' a guarantee of 10s a case to each; individual exporter provided the.:indusi try' contributed :£ 10,000 ;':; towards a guaranteed" 'liability. 'A "light crop was anticipated in the coming season, and the collection of £ 10,000: would mean a levy of 2d or 3d per case, and so, under the suggested terms,; the guarantee would not be 10s, but would be 9s 9d. Cabinet had realised'thaipositibn and was considering that feature of it at present. Cabinet also knew that the cost of cases, would be up, also labour costs, but the board felt sure that whatever the outcome the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance will want the1 industry to pay higher wages and to see that the industry would be in a position to pay it. How it was to be done was not yet known. . "SOMETHING SLIPPED." ' When speaking on the matter of the guarantee:..later in the meeting, thii chairman (Mr. H. E. Stephens): said the board had tried to get the Minister of Finance to carry out a. promise made at the Dominion conference when he said that if the growers required help they ;would get. it."'. That statement had created in. the minds of growers a feeling that they would get some consideration beyond the guai--antee.fund if it was needed. In his mind "something , had .slipped" since then and the board could not get the Government to go beyond the arrangement 'as outlined by Mr. Benzies.- The Minister of Finance was agreeable for the Government to go further, for the 1937 season, but could not .do more for.the past season. The best terms the. board could get were for the funds to be paid as a grant and not as a loan as previously arranged, arid he did riot',think that that could be altered by any further representa-. tions. • ; . : , , I

Mr. J. Dicker pointed out that as a result ,of the negotiations growers would receive £25,000 as a gift and not as a loan, and that.was. an; important point. -y_^_ . ' ■ ?!• ' ■