FRUIT CARGOES

Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3792, 9 August 1932, Page 7

FRUIT CARGOES

Shipments from Dominion RECORD DIB C 11ARGES THE PRICES IN BRITAIN / PROVINCIAL PORTS PRESENT ADVANTAGES L _ --- t\.t- 1. N.Z Catile London, Aug. G. With l.lu> arrival of the steamers Jervis Bay and Port Gisborne at the end of July Britain received the last cargoes of Australian and New Zealand apples. These brought the total supplies of apples and pears discharged at London to no fewer than 3.880.000 packages, by far the largest quantity of any year. The results of the season are unlikely to he entirely satisfactory to shippers, for, though the demand and prices have improved considerably in the last: week or two. there was a long period in June and the first half of July when apples were selling at a figure which could not have boon remunerative. This was largely due to the enormous supplies arriving at a time when our soft fruit season is at its height, and importers are asking if some means cannot be devised to regulate the arrivals. They point out that it is impossible to avoid the slump in values if this market has to handle over a million cases in a fortnight, as was the ease this season. The whole question is a difficult one, for with steamers of varying speed coming by different routes, it: is impossible to proven! four or five arriving here together This trouble is always likely to arise when Australia and -New Zealand have heavy crops to ship. The suggestion is made that more shipments should be sent to the provincial ports, such as Hull, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow, which have received a fair quantity of apples this year an 1 the prices realised have been satisfactory. But they caii billy absorb moderate quantities. Any over supply would Cause a slump even greater than that which occurred at London.