Fruit Flown From Otago To Auckland

Northern Advocate, 9 January 1948, Page 4

Fruit Flown From Otago To Auckland

DUNEDIN, Fri. (P.A.) Thousands o£ cases of fruit which have been ripened quickly by the recent hot weather are being despatched daily from Central Otago orchards to markets in Auckland. The fruit comes to Dunedin by rail, continuing to Christchurch by night goods train. The Railways Road Transport service takes the fruit to Flarewood airport where it is transferred to the aircraft in the early morning and down to Auckland. With the Dunedin market adequately supplied, an increasing number of fruitgrowers in Central Otago are taking advantage of the combined rail and air freight services to place their fruit on northern markets. Additional transport expenses are being recouped as a result of higher prices ruling in Auckland. MORE WOULD GO More fruit and other produce from Central Otago would go north if there were an unlimited air freight service from Dunedin. A restricted amount of air freight can be taken at present by the two passenger planes which leave each day for Auckland. Larger orchards in Central Otago possess cool storage facilities for fruit and the growers can hold their produce ready for quick transport by air to northern markets. These growers consider the time, already overdue for the introduction of a direct air freight service from' Central Otago or a feeder service to connect with freight-carrying aircraft, leaving Taiera areodrome.