AUSTRALIAN ORANGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1944, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ORANGES

SUPPLIES FOR N.Z. WELLINGTON, November 7. In spite of the serious drought there Australia had kept New Zealand reasonably well supplied with navel and Valencia oranges this season, said the Acting-Director of Internal Marketing (Mr R. P. Fraser) to-day. The main growing areas in New South Wales and Victoria were irrigated, and were not therefore so seriously affected by drought as other parts. Unfortunately, however, much of the Australian crop had been affected by frosts early in the season, with the result that keeping qualities, specially for shipment, were not so good as usual. Australia still had high priority demands for oranges and other citrus fruits for juicing for the Armed Forces, and had experienced difficulty in getting good quality fruit for that purpose. The total quantity received by New Zealand from Australia so far this season was 100,000 cases. After, priority requirements for hospitals had been set aside, the fruit had been distributed evenly throughout the Dominion. For the first time, imported oranges had been sold by weight, said Mr Fraser,' and in spite of minor difficulties the innovation had proved worthwhile. Normally imports from Australia ceased before the end of the year, but efforts were being made to spread the final shipments of Valencias as long as possible. During the war shipping difficulties had made it impossible to import oranges from Jamaica, but it was hoped that this year at least small quantities would again be available from that source. Shipments from Pacific Islands had been rather greater than was expected after news was received of destruetve hurricanes there. Though not quite up to the outstanding quality of last year’s imports, the fruit was good.