SELLING APPLES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 20 June 1936, Page 12

SELLING APPLES

LONDON MARKET SCENE ACTIVITY AT SPIT ALFIELD S NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE LONDON, 16th May. The apple selling season is now at the peak. Spitalfields, the largest fruit market in the world, and the most modern, is working at full pressure (writes the “New Zealand Herald s correspondent). Auctions are held three days a week and every fresh consignment is distributed as rapidly as possible. Practically the entire importation of fruit is handled by six large firms, all of which are housed in the same building ensuring a high degree of concentration. Prices at every auction are quoted immediately to • every other market throughout England and a close watch is kept upon the trend of prices. One of the firms has even gone to the length of installing a televisor so that a rapid transmission of prices may be carried on between the London and the Manchester branch. This close touch is especially necessary when the season is at its height, for the entire British market is interdependent and is apt to become extremely complicated. HIGH QUALITY FRUIT It was interesting this week to visit Spitalfields and watch New Zealand fruit being sold. Although it was not cheering to know that the price was down, it was gratifying to hear of the high regard in which” New Zealand fruit is held. It is recognised as the quality fruit for the summer season, and always fetches a higher price than its Tasmanian rival. This is accounted for by the fruit itself and also by the better methods employed in packing.

America, it is stated authoritatively, leads the world for its fruit packing and dominates the winter market. New Zealand’s standard is not quite up to that of America, but it is very little behind, and is strides ahead of the Tasmanian, and, for that matter the Australian. The bright labels catch the eye in the first instance, and the cases, or boxes as they are called by the trade, allow the fruit to be packed in such a manner that there is a certain amount of “give.” This ensures the minimum of bruising, with the result that the fruit has a fresher appearance when it reaches London. Tasmanian boxes have no labels, and there is a higher percentage of bruising, while the inside packing is also less attractive than that in the New Zealand boxes. INSPECTION OF SAMPLES Before every sale samples of the fruit appearing on the catalogue are

opened up in the sample room, where it is inspected by buyers, who mark their catalogues. Each of the six firms is allowed half an hour for its first sale, and if it has not sold or placed the whole of its stock, a second period —usually lasting about 20 minutes-r----is allotted later on. Auctioning is remarkably rapid, but is less spectacular than the scenes at New Zealand wool sales. There is no shouting, as a general rule, no waving of arms or frantic gesticulations. Usually the only indication to the aucRAPIDITY OF BIDDING tioneer is a flick of the catalogue or a raising of the finger. The auctioneer rattles away and is heard in all parts of the rostrum, with the aid of microphone and loud speakers. So rapid is the bidding that clerks taking down the prices require about three years’ training before they can follow the sale with any degree of accuracy. Prices on this particular day were ranging between 9s to 10s for Jonathan apples. On an average this was some 2s lower than the price anticipated, due to the heavy shipments arriving this week. Tasmanian Cox’s Orange Pippins were fetching Us a box. Had they been New Zealand the bidding would have been nearer 18s. It was a strangely silent scene after a wool sale, and the auctioner’s selling was punctuated only by the bang of his hammer upon the bench. Tastes for apples vary greatly in England, although it is doubtful whether the average housewife knows, the name of the fruit she is buying. The chief attraction is the appearance, and a brightly-coloured«apple is one of its best selling points. It is a recognised fact 1 that the Londoner prefers a small apple, not too sweet in taste, while the northern districts prefer a large size and are .particularly fond of the Delicious, which has a small sale in London. • MAZE OF STREETS Spitalfields is some distance from Covent Garden, another great London fruit and vegetable centre. It is a maze , of streets and warehouses. One threads one’s way past carts and lorries to the sprawling building which houses the broking firms. On sale day there are men everywhere. Buyers tub shoulders with clerks and lorrymen, but everyone seems strangely quiet and unhurried, and there is no roar or hub-bub of voices. The majority are either coming or going, to the two auction rooms, which operate at the same time, one for lemons and oranges, the other for apples and pears. Once one catalogue is completed little time is lost in seeing, that the order slips are distributed, enabling stocks to be cleared from the cellars. These cellars are in the basement, and are cool all the year round. They run under the entire length of the building and are divided into rooms or compartments, each of which has a doorway to the street for loading the lorries. Large quantities of fruit may be stored, if necessary, for long periods without any risk of deterior-’ ation.