Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, APRIL 29th., 1937. FRUIT-MARKETING.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1937, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, APRIL 29th., 1937. FRUIT - MARKETING.

T IfE report of the committee appointed to inquire into the ramifications of I he Dominion’s fruit industry, is staled 1o consist of 211 pages of typed foolscap. It would appear, therefore, that the committee has not overlooked much. Everything in the gardens and orchards is not lovely; indeed, from the raising of the. fruit and vegetables to the going down of the same, there is little, to record that is cheerful. Horticultural industries arc declared to be in a chaotic state. Growers get too little for their produce, whilst the public pay too much. The distributing go-betweens do not make

excessive profits, so here is a real problem for economists. The committee declares: “The retailers ’ rate of profit on the bulk of New Zealand-grown fruit is excessive, but as individuals the majority cannot be said to be making large net profits, and a considerable number can barely make ends meet.’’ This comment appears to be contradictory, but to make all clear for the future, the committee recommends: (1) That the maximum retail profit on the wholesale price of all New Zea-land-grown apples, pears, and citrus fruits be limited to 33 1-3 per eent., and that the rate of retail profits on the wholesale price on imported bananas'and other citrus fruits be limited to the same percentage, except in the case of Cook Islands oranges, in respect of which the retail profit be limited to 40 per cent. Some sellers are accused of solving any difficulty in their own way, earth being sold as potatoes, and the sale of the actual vegetables being manipulated in a manner that is fraudulent.

The panacea, to-day, for most economic troubles is State control, and the Fruit Marketing Committee reports in favour of another venture in this direction. The new craze for the licensing of industry is followed, and \it is recommended that all Tetail fruiterers should be licensed annually, and such licenses should be both .personal and in respect to definite business premises. This would enable the licensing authority, should a license lapse or be cancelled for any reason, to decide, gfter examination of all the relevant facts, whether a new license should be issued in its place or not. It is also urged that competition from street-barrows be restricted.

The general public cannot feel very hopeful that they will benefit if these suggestions are adopted. Retailers will not venture too enterprisingly in a market where the speculation factor is prominent, unless adequate margin is allowed for over-ripe and other uneatable fruit. Demands will soon follow that the fixed prices are unremunerative to all concerned, and the scale will probably be raised. Eat more fruit will be a slogan increasingly more difficult to put into practice, and those in quest of vitamins will have to search elsewhere. New Zealanders really want better fruit as well as cheaper, but it is doubtful if many of them will believe that the committee’s report, as a whole, will help very much in this desirable direction.