EXPORT OF APPLES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 1 June 1920, Page 5

EXPORT OF APPLES

CONDITIONS OX LONDON

MARKET.

REPRESENTATIONS TO PRIME MINISTER.

The Tasman Fruit Packing Association, Ltd., has forwarded the following letter to the Prime Minister. Copies of tho letter have also been forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture and Mu 'll. Atmore, ALP. : "We have received; information from our London agents who are disposing of our apple shipments in London, that owing to the- very high cost of landing, handling, and selling fruit 'in London at the present time there is absolutely no chance of even the best samples giving any return Vo the grower above the amount or the Government guarantee of Id per lb., too controlled price of B-Ri per lb. on the nett contents of the case being too low to meet the charges and leave any substantial return to the grower. “Our agents point out that 'although | the price of apples is controlled, and must be sold wholesale ot 6|d per lb. ; and retail at 9d per lb., other fruit., such as nears from South Africa, are free of the controlled price, and are selling freely at 9d and Is each. This will doubtless apply to pears sent from this country also; but will he small consolation to the shippers of apples. Under these circumstances, we are informed that it pays retailors much better to handle 'the ‘ uncontrolled fruit from other countries, and that New Zealand fruit is" not meeting with a good x-eception. ■ ‘‘ln view of the position that has arisen, we desire to respectfully sugaast that vou make immediate inquiries with a anew to securing an open market for next season, as it will be impossible to build «P a- satisfactory exnort business if hampered by trade restrictions of the nature indicated by our agents. , ~ , “Our agents also noint oim that much o! the New Zealand mat iot this season will arrive m London too late to realise the best prices ; and that in future seasons every effort s-iould be made Jo get very large shipments away in the month of March. xou wil, of course, be well aware of the fact that during the past sen'on many ■thousands of cases of Nelson fruit were prepared for shipment by the s.s. Port Caroline, and that the space in this vessel was cancelled at the .last moment, involving very heavy losses on the packers, and flooding the doed markets.’’