NEW ZEALAND FRUIT

Evening Star, Issue 18999, 22 July 1925, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT

EXPORT SEASON OVER A GOOD RETURN FOR GROWERS. [Special to the ‘Star.’] WELLINGTON, July 21. The New Zealand limit export season is over. The reports arc not vet.% favorable, and there is evidently a large quantify of limit on tlie English market from other parts of the Although the prices cabled for tlie laterkeeping varieties of apples arc reasonably satisfactory, it looks as if tho others will not return much, if any, profit. it is a little too soon to say definitely what tho returns will he, and prices may pick up a little towards the end of this week. Taking tho season all round, the prices have boon good -in some instances very good your correspondent was officially informed today. Growers will have had a bettor season from the export point of view than they have over before experienced, and will, on the whole, receive ; a good return. j Mr W. T. Attwood, of tlie_ New_Zea-j land Fruitgrowers’ Federation, is in England at the present time, and the Horticultural Department is taking advantage of the fact to try certain experiments in the carriage of fruit. Ho is to report directly to the department upon the questions submitted by it, and from bis report it,, is expected to derive a groat ‘deal of valuable information for future guidance. Tbo queslions apply to maturity, color, pack- ; ing, and cases. _ | In regard to tbo consumption of fruit in New Zealand, the position had not been satisfactory, said an official. There was a large production of apples last season, and, although a fair qunn*tity was exported—something in the vicinity of a quarter of a million cases —.there was more than the 'average quantity of apples to be disposed of locally. There had been some complaints that the export of the best quality loft a larger percentage of lower-grade apples for local markets, hut it was pointed out that, while that might apply to some extent, the amount of fruit exported was only a small portion of the general crop, leaving much more than a normal quantity to be disposed of. There is still a largo supply of ex-port-quality apples yet to conic on tho market. The difficulty, it was stated, in regard to tho whole question was the almost entire Jack of standard packing—that was, the separation of fruit into different grades whereby tho buyer was enabled to differentiate between good and bad, instead of being compel tod to buy a job lot and trusting to luck that the cases would give a fair average of good quality fruit. Although Stunners cost Id and Cd per lb in the simps, it was remarked that through certain channels, which might bo described as semi-private, a 401 b case of Stunners, practically of export quality, could be obtained for 6s 9d. It was considered that there was a big trade in Wellington for fruit delivery in cases, provided that tho orders were booked and delivery made straight from the wharf. This trade could be done round about 7s per case.