SELF SUPPORTING NEW ZEALAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 21 February 1935, Page 3

SELF SUPPORTING NEW ZEALAND

(To the Editor) Sir,—Under tlie above heading your correspondent “Pinus Insignis'" takes to task the Fruitgrowers’ Federation and the Government for the importation of fruit cases from Sweden. Possibly it might prolong his interest in this subject if I dealt with the vexed question of fruit case importation from a fruitgrower’s point of view, and would illustrate my point with my experiences of the past year. Last year I put 77 cases of exportable fruit into the cool store, selling it eventually in the Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill markets, the nett realisation being £1 19s 2d, a return of 6d per case for fruit- which, according to the estimate of Government officials, lost me 2s 4d per case to produce, thus showing a loss to me of Is lOd per case. From documents in my possession I notice that the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board forwarded 71 cases of my fruit to Stockholm, Sweden, and that the prices realised give me a nett return of £9 6s sd, an average of 2s per case, which amount covers cost of production and gives me a profit of per case. Any country that exports to and receives benefit from an outside market cannot claim to he self-supporting and so long as outside markets are necessary and profitable, it remains necessary to retain these markets. The “Brain Waves” of some of the thinkers of the world to-day are forcing them to a realisation that no country can retain a profitable foreign market by mentis of a “one-way” trade. In 1933 Sweden bought over 45.000 cases of New Zealand fruit at a price which returned a profit to the New Zealand fruitgrower. Last year I believe the purchases were, greater and the returns satisfactory. Being a subscriber to the belief that a profitable market will not be retained by a “one way” trade part of my fruit case requirements for the present season was supplied by a profitable customer. Still more than half my requirements for export cases is being supplied by local mills.—l am, etc., FRUITGROWER, Upper Moutere, Bth Feb.