FRUIT TRADE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 August 1924, Page 5

FRUIT TRADE

EXPORTS TO BRITAIN. BY CABLB—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHI Received Aug. 4, 8.5 a.m LONDON, Aug. 2. The Australian apple season has closed with the prices slightly below those ruling during the first half of July, the easier tendency being due to heavy supplies of Continental stone fruits. Reviewing the apple season, importers generally consider it has turned out much more satisfactorily than appeared likely at the opening, when, owing chiefly to the poor quality of the fruit, prices were disappointing. Since the middle of May, however, prices have steadily} improved, and' every cargo that has arrived since then has shown a. good margin of profit. When it is remembered that the season’s arrivals from Australia, and New Zealand considerably exceeded a million and a half cases the results must be regarded a.s very good. Australian canned fruits now arriving show a most marked improvement over those shipped in the previous season, and importers express .themselves as highly pleased with the quality and grading of the pears, of which the arrivals mainly consist. The appearance of the tins and labels is attractive, the only fault being in one brand for which excessive paste was used, causing a slight rust and mould, which necessitates the tin being wiped before the fruit is saleable. The demand for Australian pears is very good, large quantities being purchased by wholesale grocers, who re-label them under their own brands and sell them as “So-and-so’s famous pears,’’ without reference to the country of origin. They are using Californian pears in the same way. The prospects for canned fruit appear to be good, for the Californian pack is short and the packers are raising prices. The present value of standard Australian pears is 13s 9d to 14s 3d per dozen tins. Apricots and Reaches are about 10s. • Importers continue to complain of the poor quality of Australian currants, and one recently arrived parcel from Adelaide, though sold as top grade, turned out very bad, and the best price obtainable is 40s, whereas other parcels for which the importer paid a lower price are realising 56s. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.