BANANA IMPORTS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1938, Page 2

BANANA IMPORTS

REGULATING SUPPLY TO DEMAND

(Per Press Association —Copyright)

WELLINGTON, April 27

The control of banana imports now being instituted by the Internal Marketing Department was the subject of comment by the Director of Internal Marketing, Mr F. R. Picot. The object of the scheme, Mr Picot said, was to keep the retail, price of bananas at a reasonable level by regulating the supply according to the demand. The marketing department purchased bananas from exporting countries and was responsible for distribution throughout New Zealand to brokers, who disposed of them on commission.

‘‘lt should be made quite clear to the public, as it has been to the trade, that although the Government indicates to brokers the price which they consider should he .obtained, the price of bananas is not fixed,” said Mr Picot. “Some confusion has arisen in Auckland in the case of the-recent Matua shipment. The New Zealand European Retail Fruiterers’ Association, in drawing public attention to the disparity between the prices > indicated by the department’s supervisor at the wharf, and those later obtained at auction, have chosen to ignore the circumstances of this particular case. For the Matua shipment, the maximum price indicated was 17s. 16s. and 14s, according to brand and grade, and the fruit was disposed} of at,, approximately these prices. The bananas which brought 10s 6d a case were inferior and damaged. Those which brought 30s the following day had been rushed through the ripen-. mg process after landing in order to supply a starved market. Moreover, the total quantity involved at these prices was less than TOO cases, obviously a very small nrooortion of the total for the Auckland requirements of 11.000 cases.” [ There had not been a similar dis- , pari tv in prices in Wellington, e °id Mr Picot. For the Maui Pom are shipment a maximum of 19s for green Same ans and 16s for green Nines had keen indicated. From the experience gained in handling the initial shipments, he fullv expected that the department I shonM be able to keep prices on a fn 11 ” ; sum-died market p t, a reasonable and fiilrlv constant level. un+ hv fixing the 1 prices, but by regulating the supplj.