N.Z. APPLES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 102, 11 April 1933, Page 11

N.Z. APPLES

FRANCE’S IMPOST SURTAX OF 15 PER CENT. TO COUNTERACT HIGH EXCHANGE WELLINGTON, April 10. Advice was received to-day by both tho Government and the Fruit Export Control Board that the French Government has decided to impose a surtax of 15 per cent in terms of sterling values on imports of New Zealand apples. The impost, it is stated, is to counteract New Zealand’s high exchange rate, although no action in this direction was taken against Australia. It is understood that recently the French Government contemplated increasing the duty on New Zealand apples from about 3/- to 11/- per case. This would have made exportation of apples to France impossible, for tho retail price would have been completely prohibitive. The present surtax, however) will hamper trade considerably. New Zealand exported about 20,000 cases of apples to France last year, and it was fully intended to build tho total to about 50,000 cases this season. However, as a result of the surtax only about 20,000 cases will go direct, although another 20,000 cases will be transhipped from London if the market warrants this course. The question of marketing, it is stated, is being actively considered by the Fruit Board, and efforts are being made to extend potential markets wherever possible. Owing to unsettled conditions on the Continent, it was pointed out today, the board was being forced to place more of its fruit on the British market, where prices were declining. The latest cables from the High Commissioner showed that prices for apples were still considerably depressed. The South American market was almost closed to the board, which was having trouble in securing payment for shipments to the Argentine and Brazil owing to the unsettled state of those countries. An authority on fruit export problems explained to-day that one of the Dominion’s objects is to secure a greater sale for large-size apples. Britain paid a good price for medium and small apples, but did not want big fruit. The Continent and South America were the market for large fruit but were now virtually closed. The only other hope was that the United States would accept shipments, and there was reason to believe that trade could be done in this direction in view of President Roosevelt’s apparent intention to readjust tariffs. The Dominion’s total exports of apples were about 1,500,000 cases a year, so the value of the American market could be appreciated.