HIGHER RETURN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22242, 30 January 1947, Page 3

HIGHER RETURN

ORCHARDISJS’ CLAIM PIP FRUITS MARKETS MINIMUM GUARANTEE (P-A.) HASTINGS, Jan. 30. Recognition of the absolute need for some form of controlled marketing of pip fruits, agreed to by the directorate of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, has been conveyed to the Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, the Minister of Finance, Mr. W, Nash, and the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. E. L. Cullen. Outlining the policy to a meeting of the Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association, the federation president Mr. A. B. Congdon, Auckland, said it was realised that problems confronting fruitgrowers had to be considered in the light of the cost of production of post-war marketing. The policy formulated by the federation also sought a controlling authority in tjie form of a board with full statutory powers on which producer and Government representation was equal with the right to elect its own chairman. The directors, said Mr. Congdon, sought something like the old export board with power over finance and staff, and with authority to do all its own marketing of pip fruits. For satisfactory marketing the federation felt a State minimum guarantee was necessary, within which there must operate a schedule which would provide protection to the individual grower.

The industry, it was held, required a minimum guaranteed return of 90 per cent of a properly calculated cost of production, any further revenue to be credited to the guarantors. Mr. Congdon said the grower must receive a higher return than in the past. It should not be less than £7 10s or £8 a week. It must provide, too, for replanting and the replacement of implements and all orchard equipment.