FRUIT EMBARGO

Evening Star, Issue 21710, 3 May 1934, Page 9

FRUIT EMBARGO

.REQUEST FOR REMOVAL DEMAND FOR ORANGES AND LEMONS la an interview with, the Christchurch ‘ Press ’ last week, Mr G. S. Radley, a Christchurch fruit merchant, expressed the opinion that the embargo on Australian citrus fruit should he lifted so that the New Zealand public could get reasonably-priced oranges and lemons, and he pointed out that not only would this, be of advantage to the consuming public, but it would also open the way to negotiations for an open market in Australia for apples and pears from New Zealand. Mr Jladley said that throughout New Zealand during recent months there had been a shortage of citrus fruits, and that during the last two weeks that shortage nad become so acute that retailers had had to pay almost famine prices for oranges and lemons. The position would be relieved to some extent next week, when a shipment of Califorinan, Valencia, and Island fruit arrived, but this supply would be quickly absorbed, because there was an unusually heavy demand at present owing to the prevalence of colds and also" to the measles epidemic. “It is at this time of the year ? that the Australian citrus season commences, but unfortunately the embargo still remains, and the trade does not know what arrangements the Government is going to make even as regards supplies from South Australia,” said Mr Radley. “ The Government is no do'ubt anxious to protect the Cook Islands, but the trade hopes this will not'prevent entry of other oranges while their season lasts. Such a position would be an impossible one, and hits the South Island ~ far harder than the publio generally realises. There is no direct shipment from the Cook Islands to the South Island, everything having to be transhipped from either Wellington" or Auckland. Owing to the handling and length of journey Island shipments land wasty, and will not keep for more than a short period after arrival ; consequently no matter how. low the f.o.b. cost at Rarotonga is the price to the retailer and to the public is so high, making it impossible for the average person to buy. “On the other hand, there is a three-weekly service to all South Island ports from Melbourne which makes it possible to land cultivated oranges of fine flavour and good-keeping quality throughout the South Island at a price within the read- of the public purse. The public suffered severely, through the embargo last year, and it is up to the Government to make public promptly its intentions as regards supplies this season, and at the same time to revert to an unrestricted entry of citrus fruit into this country. “ The anouncement made recently by the Commonwealth Government that under certain conditions apples and pears are now to be_ allowed entry into Australia opens up in certain seasons an excellent outlet for New Zealand fruit. From information received it seems that a considerable quantity of both apples and pears can be sent to Australia almost immediately. It is understood the fruit fly restrictions were placed on Australia so as to enable us to ship both apples and pears to the United States. It was anticipated that with a population of 110,000 000 people the United States would be able to absorb all the peaks we grew, and a considerable quantity of apples. The season for export is February to May, but . up to the present there has been talk of only 25,000 oases of apples arid pears being despatched and no definite word of actual despatch. “If this is a fair criticism of probable trade in apples and pears with the United Stales, then it would seem, better to amend our fruit regulations, permitting entry of Australian _ citrus, with the prospect of marketing in Australia in favourable seasons, of up to probably 10,000 cases of apples and pears. Such an arrangement would be helpful to New Zealand fruitgrowers, and would end the starvation of the " New Zealand public of citrus fruit. “In the controversy between Australia Vnd New Zealand, it certainly looks as though the public have been entirely neglected wage-earners under present conditions are being absolutely deprived of essential fruits, especially in time of sickness, so it is to be hoped that something will be promptly done to allow these fruits being consumed. At the present time oranges and lemons are dearer in New Zealand than in any other part of the world, and it-is surely time some common sense were used to end the present deadlock.” Mr Radley., who is proceeding to Australia this week, hopes to ascertain personally the probable quantities of •apples and pears Australia can take from New Zealand.

HISTORY OF THE EMBARGO Australia has an embargo on New Zealand fruit and fruit plants, including apples and pears, on the ground that New Zealand fruit is affected by fireblight, and potatoes also are prohibited entry. On the other hand, the New Zealand • Government imposed an embargo on all Australian fruit and produce on December 16, 1932, which, however, was partially lifted in August last, when the Government decided to allow the importation of oranges from South Australia under a quantitative restrictions scheme, to ensure thqt adequate supplies of citrus fruits would be available to the public. _ . , In a statement at the time, the Acting Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, said the embargo on the importation of Australian fruit and produce was practically forced on iSew Zealand owing to the necesity for protecting the rapidly-developing citrus fruitgrowing industry against the introduction of the Mediterranean, fruit fly, and because of the disability under which the dominion was suffering on account of the restrictions in. force m both Australia and the United States on the importation of New Zealand fruit and vegetables into those countries. Since the embargo was imposed on Australian fruit, the Government had completed negotiations with the Government of the United States, and as a result that country had allowed the introduction of New Zealand fruit. The Government was advised by the United States authorities that the importation of fruit into New Zealand from South Australia, where the Mediterranean fly did not exist, would not prejudice the entry of New Zealand fruit into the United States. _ The first shipment of citrus fruit from South Australia under the quantitative scheme arrived at Wellington by the Wanganella on August 30, and about a month later, as the production season in South Australia was nearing an end, the restrictions were removed.

Negotiations have recently been opened with the Government for the entry of Victorian oranges. POSITION IN OTAGO M.P.S APPROACHED Mr Radley’s views om the position have aroused a good deal of interest among those engaged in the fruit trade in Otago, and a copy pi a letter re. ceived from Mr Radley outlining, these views has been sent to local members of Parliament. In this letter Mr 'Radley expresses the fear that if the matter is allowed to drift on, the Government will withhold supplies of even -South Australian oranges until the Cook Island season is practically finished, which he regards as most unjust to the trade and to the public of the South Island. It was felt absurd that the large population.' of the South Island should be deprived of reasonably priced citrus fruits in order to benefit the native and limited white population of Raratonga. A letter has been sent by the Co« operative Fruitgrowers of Otago, Ltd,to local M.P.s, soliciting their assist* anoe and asking them to make representations to the Minister of Agriculture on' the need of having the embargo lifted at once. It is pointed out that the demand for oranges and lemons has been intensified with the advent of wintry weather. The position was aggravated by the difiiculty of obtaining these fruits at other than famine prices. Tha only citrus fruits available at present came from California, and each week, owing to the increasing demand, prices were quickly rising beyond the ability of the average householder to buy them For a case of lemons containing 280 to 350 lemons, 60s was demanded by, the wholesale importers. One of the reasons advanced for the delay in lifting the embargo was to give the Raratongan producer an opportunity of clearing his orange crops. This might .be a reasonable excuse as far as the North Island was concerned, but in ’Otago and Southland. Island fruits generally arrived in a semi-rotten condition. making them useless for con. sumption and expensive to retail.