EXPORT OF ASPARAGUS

Evening Star, Issue 22526, 19 December 1936, Page 29

EXPORT OF ASPARAGUS

TRIAL SHIPMENTS FOR ENGLAND ENCOURAGING RESULTS [Per United Press Association'.] WELLINGTON, December IS. “Recent experiments organised by tho Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have shown that asparagus may bo added to the growing list of perishable foodstuffs that can bo successfully transported from New Zealand to Great Britain in cool storage,” said the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research (tho Hon. D. G. Sullivan) _this evening. “ Asparagus is a difficult product to keep in good condition in storage. A small shipment of asparagus in cold storage was scot to England towards the oud of last year, and while the shipment did not arrive, in perfect condition the results were sufficiently indicative to warrant further trials under improved conditions. “ In October of this year a further fairly largo shipment was sent. Close attention was paid to selection, grading, packing, and temperature storage, and in this connection valuable data were supplied by the Cambridge Low Temperature Research Station in England. Cabled advice from the de. partment’s scientific liaison officer in London states that the_ asparagus arrived in excellent condition, and suffered little loss from_ wastage even after holding under ordinary conditions for several days. “ In view of the encouraging result it is hoped to organise shipments on a 'still larger scale next season, with a view to building up an industry. It will be necessary, of course, to grow varieties of asparagus which arc preferred hy English buyers, and some research work on propagation and the establishment of suitable varieties may be indicated.”