FRESH MARKETS FOR N.Z. FRUIT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 September 1929, Page 7

FRESH MARKETS FOR N.Z. FRUIT.

NEED FOR GREATER CARE BY GROWERS

WELLINGTON, Last Night,

A conference of fruitgrowers representing the Control Board was held today and discussed now markets for New Zealand fruit shipments for consumption overseas and other aspects relating to fruit, exports from New Zealand. The chairman of the Fruit Conir».‘ Board (Mr J. L. Brown) presided and delegates weiv present from all parts of the Dominion. Remits were carried: “That the fullest investigation be made into the discrepancies which occur between actual shipments by growers and the out-turn at the destination, also into the method of claiming on such shortages and the amounts claimed for, with particular reference to the final statements of shortage pools for the 1928 season.’’ The meeting carried a remit asking the Control Board to report on the possibility of simplifying the labelling, sticking and marking of cases. It was decided to draw the board’s attention to the recurring loss shown on account sales by cases shown as wasty, pillaged, slack and sample, etc., and to ask the board if it could suggest a remedy. It was also recommended that the overseas representatives of the board be asked to report on the condition and appearance of fruit at its destination, particularly in regard to pack eases and labels, etc., the report to bo available previous to the annual export conference.

The meeting decided, should a sur

plus of export fruit accumulate, duo to shipping not being available, that the board should make arrangements with local cool stores to store fruit until such surplus had been cleared, the surplus mentioned being fruit stored in upon sheds in Wellington. In view of the fact that sliced apples in export cases were one of the direct cause of expense in reconditioning at Wellington, the deterioration of fruit, loss of weight per package owing to the removal of damaged fruit not replaced and the deterioration in the general appearance of the ease by mould and reconditioning, it was agreed that the field officers and inspectors of 'the horticultural division packing shed, managers and growers generally, should be urged to impress upon packers the necessity of putting up a pack in such a manner as would prevent such damage. The advisability of shipping overseas the bulk of the Nelson fruit crop direct from Nelson was brought, up by Mr J. Dicker (Nelson) who said that the Nelson growers were losing money through shipping their fruit via Wellington. The conference passed a resolution supporting the principle of’local loading of export, fruit wherever possible and recommending the matter to the Control Board for favourable consideration.

The acti m of the board in seeking to* prevent the export business from passing into privnie interests was coin firmed by the conference. The ship ping of export fruit in the same rotation in which it was received was recommended, without discussion.

A remit was carried asking that stops be taken to eliminate the rough handling of export fruit in Wellington and other places. Reference was made to the glutted state of the local pear market and the board was urged to seek for further outlets for the’sale of pears.

A recommendation that experimental shipments of apples and pears other than .the varieties and sizes schedule in the Government regulations, be forwarded to the United Kingdom, the Continent of Europe, South America, Canada and other possible new markets, was carried. It was decided to hold an export conference annually.