Apple, Pear Glut Ended

Northern Advocate, 10 May 1940, Page 6

Apple, Pear Glut Ended

[Per Press Association. Copyright .] WELLINGTON, This Day. “While market prices for apples and pears are not likely -to rise a great deal, the glut position had now been passed,” said the Director of Internal Marketing (Mr F. R. Picot), in a statements on the progress of the Government’s marketing scheme for apples and pears.' During the flush of the season, he said, apples were in very heavy supply, and prices fell far below the production cost as paid by the Government to the producer. It was inevitable that, when supplies began to ease, there should be a rise from the uneconomic price levels resulting from glut conditions. Value of Advertising.

Recently, Mr Picot said, prices at a sale of Cox’s Orange apples had reached an absurdly high level, caused by the demand from fastidious buyers for an out-of season line. Delicious and Jonathan apples were the principal varieties on sale at present, and they would be followed later by Sturmers. The success of a strenuous ad--1 vertising appeal at the height of 0 the season was also mentioned by . Mr Picot, who said that, by this means, a high proportion of most desirable fruit had been disposed of in the country. Fixed Price.

The department had announced a fixed price for case lots, and, although there had been a firming in values recently, apples were still not dear. Cookers had also been very cheap this season, he added, because of extra quantities on the 10031" market which were normally exported. Mr Picot concluded by referring to the superior quality of the fruit marketed this season, which, he said, was due to improved methods of standardisation adopted under the Government’s marketing and grading plan.