NEW ZEALAND FRUIT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 306, 10 December 1931, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT

EXPORTS TO CONTINENT. LAST YEAR’S SCHEME ABANDONED. The scheme under which New Zealand fruit was sold on the Continent last year, has proved so unsatisfactory that the Fruit Control Board has decided to abandon it, reports the Nelson correspondent of the “Auckland Weesly News.” Intense dissatisfaction has been expressed by Nelson exporters at the remits of last year’s shipments to the Continent, and the information that the board has decided that the scheme is not to continue will be well received. The board has intimated that it is endeavouring to substitute forward sales for last year’s scheme, and if it is not successful in this, to forward fruit on consignment for sale at ports of discharge on condition that the broker makes an advance, without recourse, of 9/- a ease, London, and renders account sales promptly. A large number of fruitgrowers assembled at the research orchard, on Stewart estate, Appleby, to inspect the spraying experiments in progress. There are approximately 100 tests on the control of red mite and black spot, and these were explained by Mr. J. H. Thorp, who is in charge of the orchard. A very interesting and profitable time was spent by the growers. The experimental orchard is looking remarkably well, and the crop for export is estimated at between 7000 and 8000 cases. The spraying schedule is fixed by the plant research station at Palmerston North, under the direction of Dr. G. H. Cunningham. A number of manorial tests are also being carried out at the experimental orchard, under the direction of Mr. T. Rigg, agricultural chemist of the Cawthron Institute. The number of trees in these experiments is approximately 600. Other officers of the Cawthron Institute are co-operating in the en.tomologieal and mycologieal work at the orchard. The weather continues very dry, and growers in some districts are short of water for spraying purposes. - The dryness has had the effect of keeping’ black spot infection down, but has favoured red mite, which is more prevalent than usual.