RECORD APPLE CROP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 30 March 1926, Page 5

RECORD APPLE CROP.

EXTRA OR DIX AR Y CO NGESTION. EXPORT GRADING SUSPENDED. (By Telegraph—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, March 29. The bountiful nature of New Zealand’s apple crop this season has forced the New Zealand Department of Agriculture to take the unusual step of suspending, for one week from Tuesday, the official inspection and grading of fruit for export. The season has been very forward, the recent fine weather causing the fruit to ripen rapidly, with the result that export shipping arrangements, although on a much more extensive scale than last year, have been unable to cope with the rush of export fruit. About 300,000 cases have been packed in various parts of the Dominion this season, as compared with last year’s export of 233,000 cases, though the export season is not more than two-thirds through. It is possible that the 'total export will reach 500,000 cases _ this season, as many important varieties for the Home market have yet to he picked. The Wellington cool stores, where the fruit is held pending shipment, have become congested, and shipping is not yet ready to take further cargoes. Some relief is being given this week by the steamer Tongariro, which will take 30.000 cases for England. The Tairoa is due to sail on Tuesday with 14.000 cases for South America and 9000 for England.