IMPORTED WALNUTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 May 1930, Page 9

IMPORTED WALNUTS

EMBARGO SOUGHT (By Telegraph—Specia-l to "The Mail"! CIIIIISTCHURCH, flhis Day. A request that the New Zealand Farmers' Union assist in securing an embargo or tariff on imported walnuts was received at yesterday's meeting of the Canterbury district executive, it being alleged that imported nuts were spoiling.the market for the New Zealand product. The matter is to be investigated. A letter from Mr T. E. lay lor,, ot Akaroa, stated that in Akaroa district large quantities of walnuts were grown, and this year, owing to large foreign importations, principally from China, the iocal farmers were finding it almost impossible to market their crop. A petition is being drawn up by the growers and will be placed before Parliament asking that something be done in the form of a tariff or embargo to prevent undue competition from foreign _ countries. It asked the Farmers' Union in Canterbury to assist in securing such a measure as the problem of a bad market for walnuts was a very serious one for the smallholder, who relied to a large extent on his grove to help him out for the vear. Walnuts were grown not only in Canterbury but also in Nelson and Blenheim districts. There was really no reason for the importation of foreign nuts as the local article was of a superior quality, being thin shelled and with a larger and better flavoured kernel. The Chinese walnut had a hard thick shell with little inside it. The letter concluded by venturing the opinion that if the house-v/ifs paid 3d or 4d more for New Zealand walnuts she was still making a better bargain.