FRUIT INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 4

FRUIT INDUSTRY

FUTURE , PROSPECTS. INTERESTING ADDRESS. I A special meeting of the Manawatu Fruitgrowers’ Association was lield ( last evening to hear an address by Mr T. AV. Attwood, F.R.H.S., of ton, ex-president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, who returned to the Dominion some time ago from the AYemblev Exhibition, where he looked after the interests or' New Zealand fruitgrowers.- Mr G. Lyne presided, and others present were: Messrs F. H. Owtram, A. R.Rush, A. N. Matthews, H. G. Grover, J. G. Mayo, AY. B. Ellis, P. Black, F. Cromwell and T. F. Conway. • The industry, stated Mr Attwood at the outset, had made great strides in the last few years and had now reached a stage that had not previously been anticipated. In the past some growers had realised tltv.t the orchards would eventually produce more fruit than it would be possible to put on the market in the Dominion, and steps had been taken to open up export markets. The first shipments had been made to South America, but the war had interfered with the export market, and for four years producers could not get a single foot of shipping space. During the war period fruitgrowers had suffered more than any other primary producers, for they had to sell at lower prices in the Dominion market, but, with the war concluded, the position had greatly improved, with tne result that

this year there was an output so great that many of the benefits that could be obtnined from it could not bo had owing to the fact that growers had been totally unprepared. At the beginning of the year an export of 400,,001) bushels had been anticipated, an increase of nearly 100 per cent, on the figure for the jprevious year, but by tlio end of the year 740,000 bushels would bo got away. He was confident that the fruit industry of this colony could succeed from now on only so far as a profitable outlet was found in the export market.

The Government, by its research work, had helped to solve many difficulties, proceeded Mr Attwood, and it was now possible to say that many of the causes that led to New Zealand fruit arriving in the Old Country in a bad condition could be traced to troubles that could bo remedied between the tree and the ship. It was useless to blame the shipping companies for something that happened refore they handled the produce, and the blame that had previously been laid at their feet was in many cases unfounded. Growers had to shorten the time between the tree and the ship, and in this connection it was interesting to note that an American authority, on invfestfigating mntterp relating to cool storage, had given it as his opinion that, for every single day that was lost before the produce reached the cool stores after being taken from the tree, the fruit had lost nine days of its cool storage life, that was, if it were kept at a temperature in the meantime of 40 to 55 degrees; buL if it were kept at a temperature of 70 degrees, which more nearly approximated New Zealand conditions, the fruit would lose 17 days of its cool storago life. If those conclusions were correct, it was practically impossible, under present conditions, for New Zealand growers to get their produce Home in a perfectly sound condition.

England, continued the speaker, required 15,000,000 bushels of imported fruit per annum, and at present most of that was supplied by America. To raise tire quota of Dominion produce, efforts had been made to devise some system of regulating shipments so thar the best possible return would be obtained from the market, but it lrad been found difficult to do anything in this connection. What was wanted to help the position was preferential treatment, while alteration was urgently needed in the present system of buying and selling, for. anyone who stood between the producer and the consumer and who was not a necessary channel of distribution ought, to be eliminated. ■ STANDARDISED FRUIT. It was Iris firm belief that fruit should bo standardised, for then the growers would have a better chance of getting what they wanted for it. Producers had to get their fruit Home in the best possible condition, and the grower had to realise that Ire was helping himself by booking his export space and keeping up to it. With regard to the local market, ho thought that the timo was not far distant when there would be some form of control, for undoubtedly unification was needed. Mr Attw.ood then went into details concerning the marketing of the produce in England, tracing the course of the fruit after it was unloaded and explaining the different methods of selling. At the conclusion of his address, he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Mr Rush. Tire attitude of local growers concerning export was explained by Mr Conway, who pointed out that they considered the criticism made against them for putting all their produce on the local market was unfair. They realised the necessity for the export trade, but wanted it known that their land was not planted for export, as was the case in Nelson, but was so planted as to best suit the local market. They claimed that the apples grown in this district were equal to anything in the Dominion for quality., if not for colour. Replying, Mr Attwood said he could understand the attitude of local growers.