THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 231, 28 August 1933, Page 6

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. IS RUCTION OF DIRECTOR. Tlio seventeenth annual Wellington provincial conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Ltd., was held at Palmerston North to-day, Mr W. A. Tate, of (Jreytown, presiding over a good attendance. Among those present were Messrs T. C. Brash (president of the federation), and H. E. Napier (secretary), also Mr H. A. Stephens (chairman of the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board). Addressing the meeting, Mr Brash said he was pleased to meet the growers of the district, which was scattered hut nevertheless had the potentialities of becoming an important one. The federation now had a capital of £26,000, reached bv accumulated balances from year to year. The year juisL ended had been a difficult one for growers and for trading, as prices were not stabilisel. Exchanges had broken loose from their anchorages and varied everywhere. Local marketing had received a good deal of attention. It had been decided that the Dominion Mark scheme as a standard nualitv akin to that represented by the National Mark in Britain should be established, and £IOOO was allocated to that object. The bulk of the growers who had supported the scheme bed done their utmost to maintain the quality. Besides the organisation of supply and efficient direction of advertising, distribution had had to lie arranged, and by the end of Decernl>or sonic 200,000 cases would have boon handled under the scheme. The policy of the federation had been to market a standard quality of fruit. Proceeding, Air Brash referred to the position regarding the Australian embargo, and said the federation was keeping in close touch with the Horticultural Division. There had been some modification in recent weeks, and citrus fruits had been admitted from South Australia, where there was no Mediterranean fruit fly, but the speaker would like to have seen some reciprocal arrangement made for New Zealand fruit, enabling apples to be admitted to Australia from New Zealand provinces which were free from fireblight. The Fruitgrowers’ Federation was in a sound position financially, having built up a big capital, and it had a reserve of £3OOO for bad debts. Mr W. A. Tate was elected as a director for the Wellington district for a term of three years, and Air A. H. Benefield (Wanganui) was appointed as the provincial delegate to the annual conference of the federation. EXPORT ARRANGEAIENTS.

Air Stephens addressed the meeting briefly on export matters. He stated that last season there had been a decrease of about 250,000 cases in the exports. Shipping arrangements had been fairly satisfactory, and all the space inquired had been available during the peak period. The condition of the fruit on arrival at Home was, in tlie main this year, not very satisfactory, due to climatic conditions producing a large-sized fruit which did not have good keeping qualities. There was a lot of bitter jjit, and considerable wastage had ensued. The blame, too, had been attributed partly to manurial practice, even though that did increase the crops. Some suspicion had also attached to the allround wrap, preventing ventilation and tire quick cooling of fruit on shipboard. However, the all-round wrap minimised bruising considerably and the cutting of ajrples in the lidding process. Another problem this year was the big preponderance of largesize fruit, which was not popular in England. Their view of what was a large apple was what we would call a nice size. It would be better for growers to keep all large fruit in the Dominion if any price could be obtained on the local market. The export price returns this season had not been satisfactory, although the values ruling up to mid-season were quite good. After that, the market collapsed. Besides the United Kingdom, one shipment had been sent to Hamburg. The net e.i.f. outcome was 7s fid in English sterling. The market was quite good, but the fruit, mainly Johnathans, was not all in sound condition. It was intended to put into France a shipment, which was part of that sent to Canada, but France imposed an embargo and the cargo had to be diverted to The Hook of Holland, where it brought 9s e.i.f. English sterling. It was hoped to send 50,DU0 cases to Canada, but 27,000 were sent, mainly Delicious, and they commanded a good price. Owing to the complications which arose through the operations of the Exchange Board in the Argentine, which took the large Delicious variety, conditions had been difficult there, and 17,000 cases had been witheld for the local market. Some 30,000 cases of Delicious had been shipped to Brazil. They realised 10s 3d e.i.f. English sterling for fancy and 10s Od for extra fancy. The Fruit Control Board was effecting economies, particularly in harbour and insurance rates. There were still 200,000 cases of fruit in cool store, and these would take till the middle of September to clear. Inquiries had been made concerning the possibilities of opening up a market in the United States. It might be possible to send in Delicious apples, but it was considered a distinct possibility that a payable market for pears could be opened up in New York and the Eastern States, as the market there would be practically bare at the time of the New Zealand arrivals. Subsequently numerous remits were briefly discussed by the conference. These dealt with the questions of importations, standardising of cases, local marketing, transport, legislation, research, grades and regulations, overseas marketing and finance.