FRUIT INDUSTRY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20152, 23 January 1940, Page 2

FRUIT INDUSTRY

AVOIDANQE OF LOSS WAR-TIME MARKETING NO EXPORT TILL APRIL GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE A review of the New Zealand fruit marketing scheme, which is to come into effect on February 1, was given by Mr. J. C. Hardy to-day. Mr. Hardy returned during the week-end from a meeting held in Hawke’s Bay, where he represented the Poverty Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association and at which representatives of the Government explained the Marketing Department’s intentions regarding the scheme. Mr. Hardy said it was stated by the Hon. David Wilson, Leader of the Legislative Council, who had been appointed to watch the Government s interests in the scheme, that there was little likelihood of space being available for export before April, and there might be no export at all. It had been suggested that the loss on the scheme might be £250,000, but the Government was anxious to avoid anything of the kind.

Encouragement was to be given for the purchase of case and half-case lots of pip fruit in order to widen the local consumption, the possibility of station-masters and dairy companies being appointed agents for distribution also being under consideration. Lack of Storage Space

Mr. W. Benzies, fruit assembly officer, pointed out that one big handicap was, the lack of storage space, tinder normal conditions there was sufficient space for 650,000 to 700,000 cases, and the industry was faced with the marketing of 2,250,000 to 2,500,000 cases. Growers might be induced to hold back a greater proportion of their crops in their sheds, and it was hoped to overcome the position somewhat by later picking of certain varieties. In regard to payment, Mr. Benzies said that if export did not eventuate the average over-all price would be about 4s lOd a case, and he suggested that a flat rate of 4s a case might be paid each week with a final payment when the books were closed off, probably in June. Mr. J. H. Thomas, who is in charge of the marketing side of the scheme, spoke of the Government’s decision to set aside £IO,OOO for advertising, and said every effort would be made to popularise fruit. In the country districts, particularly, there was a market hardly touched yet. When the Government took over the marketing of oranges in 1938 the country markets were opened up and the consumption doubled. He felt that these markets were similarly starved of apples and pears. Reviewing the conference, Mr Hardy said that the majority of those present agreed to the Government’s scheme as a war measure. Much sympathy was expressed with those Qisborne orchardists who had suffered severe losses in the Boxing Day hailstorm, and the conference passed a motion in this respect.