LEMON MARKETING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20826, 3 July 1942, Page 6

LEMON MARKETING

GLUT AND SHORTAGE COMPLAINTS IN HOUSE (P.R.) WELLINGTON, this day. An assertion that in some districts in New Zealand lemons were lying rotting on the ground while in other parts consumers could not get them was made by Mr. J. N. Massey, Nat., Franklin) in the House of Representa-. tives yesterday- when the Internal Marketing Department vote was being considered. Mr. Massey wanted to know if the Department was extending its operations and, if so, in what direction. Mr. F. W. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga) complained that the lemon industry was not being encouraged. This was not due to any personal lack of sympathy on the part of the Minister, he said, but he pointed out that growers in Tauranga were receiving Jd a lemon, while in Wellington they were costing the consumers 7d each. The grower received 4s 6d a case and the prise in the Wellington market was 32s 6d a case. Growers were not able to get a record of the cost incurred by the department, which appeared to be charging at least 10s a case for handling the lemons. Many growers were going out of business because it was uneconomic to grow them at the prices obtainable. The very least to give a remunerative return to growers would be 8s a case and the producers were asking for 8s 2d. The Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, said that the lemon producers in Mr. Doidge’s distriqt had recently passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the Internal Marketing Department and lemon production figures over the past few years showed that the assertain that the industry had declined since the department took over was contrary to fact. In 1939-40 a total of 47,521 cases had been produced; in 1940-41, the total was 69,638 cases; in 1941, 80,639 cases. The figures showed "that production had greatly increased. He added that the Government y.-.j going to pay 8s a case this tor lemons. Mr. Doidge: That is not a loose case. The Minister: No, that is a cured case. He added that lemons were not wanted.