ON THE LAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 January 1939, Page 2

ON THE LAND

Helpful Notes or Suggestions for this column will be welcomed.

FRUIT INDUSTRY

STATEMENT BY EXPORT CONTROL BOARD 1939 SEASON PROSPECTS TREES IN GOOD HEART SMALLER TOTAL THAN LAST YEAR’S BUMPER CROP LIKELY From the crop estimates received from growers it appears that export fruit from New Zealand this year will be about 300,COO cases less than that of last year, according to a statement issued by the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board. Considering that last year was a bumper crop, this position was considered relatively satisfactory. There were various factors which might yet influence the quantities to be exported. The trees were in good heart and the young fruits were swelling rapidly, the board said. This swelling of the fruit would have a definite influence on export quantities. Jt might swell the small fruit, thereby increasing the number of cases that could be shipped oveirseas. On the other hand there might be a percentage of fruit so increased in size that they got beyond the New Zealand export limit. This would effect a reduction in export quantities. In most of the districts there was a tinge of russet on many of the varieties. The significance of this russet persisted and was noticeable when the fruit matured it would result in the fruit beiug brought down from extra fancy or fancy grades into good grade, or perhaps being eliminated altogether. CROP ESTIMATED The following table gives the export crop estimate from for the various dis-

1,201,071 118,536 1,319,607 The export to Eastern markets till now had been of small dimensions and there was nothing at present to indicate that there would be a rapid increase in the quantities marketed in India, Strait Settlements and East Indies. Because of the situation in China the markets of Hong Kong and Shanghai were at present close i to New Zealand. The trade treaty which Britain had recently negotiated with the United States h'. dan influence on New Zealand’s export trade to the United Kingdom. The import duty on apples and pears had been slightly amended. In the case of apples, instead of a duty of 4s 6d a cwt for the the full twelve months of the year that duty now applied only to imports from 16th April to 15th August. From August .till 15 April the duty for apples was 3s a cwt. As the New Zealand marketing season in Britain extended from about the middle of March till the middle or end of August, it would be seen that the higher duty of 4s 6d a cwt prevailed during most of New Zealand’s marketing period. UNITED STATES IMPORTS The one aspect of that treaty which had been concerning the board was the quantity of imports from the United States just before 15th April. It would be seen that if heavy imports occurred at that period and were cool stored in England they might have a detrimental effect on New Zealand’s early marketing period. It was at that time of the year that New Zealand usually obtained its highest prices. New Zealand’s period was a poor one if high prices were not secured at the opening of the English marketing season. I

Last year New Zealand marketed about 60,000 cases in Germany, but this year tile board hoped for an appreciable increase on this. The quantities to Germany were regulated by the trade treaty between New Zealand and Germany. Under this treaty New Zealand’s purchases from Germany regulated New Zealand’s imports into Germany and fruit had a definite percentage of that trade. The amount of credit that had accured in Germany during 1938 for the benefit of New Zealand 1939 imports was not yet known but it was hoped tha tthose credits would be sufficient to cover New Zealand’s requirements for Czechoslovakia and Austria as well as Germany. When the trade treaty with Germany was made neither Czechoslovakia nor Austria was within the German territoiy, so this meant that New Zealand’s export of apples to those two countries had now to be included in the general treaty with Germany. At present it was not quite clear that the import from Czecholovakia and Autria to New Zealand were being included in the assessments of credit of the past 12 month. Twelve months fro miiow it was anticipated that the position would be quite satisfactory. TRADE WITH FRANCE Now Zealand had at present no trado treaty with France; and for the past seven or eight years it had been most difficult, because of the French regulations, to have any New Zealand fruit shipped into France. However, during the past two years the board had been able to arange a transfer of unused quota from other countries, but that procedure did not not even yet grant a definite quota to New Zealand. Unless New Zealand had a definite quota in its own name or could obtain a transfer of an unusual quota from some other country, it was not possible for its fruit to gain entry into b ranee. The board had recently received word that the French authorities now refused to transfer unused quotas from one country for the benefit of another. Under those conditions, the prospect of New Zealand fruit gaining entry to France during the coming season was not very bright.

Last year New Zealand negotiated a trade treaty with Switzerland, and under that, New Zealand was able to send relatively large quantities under favourable terms. However, Switzerland had now made somewhat similar treaties with Australia and Argentine, and the net result appeared to be that the Swiss market was open to practically free trade and open competition.

New Zealand’s next most important Continental market was Scandinavia. The shipments were not made direct to Norway, Sweden or Denmark. All supplies were transhipped either from London, Hamburg, or the Hook of Holland. It was necessary that the New Zealand fruit should get into Swedish markets before the beginning of June, and so escape the heavy import duties. Sweden and Norway supply a relatively good market for about 60,000 cases of apples and from 20,000 to 30,000 cases of pears, and the board was happy that it had a very good connection there.

•The prospects in Canada for this present season were good. To a large extent the Canadian market was influenced by the crops of the United States of America, for should the Canadian crop be short and the United States of America have a surplus it was quite easy to transfer that surplus across the border. Reports to date, however, indicated that the crops of both Canada and the United States of America were below normal. That should not only have a beneficial influence on New Zealand’s prospects in Canada but also on its prospects in Britain, as it would tend to reduce the quantity of United States fruit which would be sent into Britain before the raising of the duty on 16th April.

Because of the extension of apple and pear production in Argentine and Chile. New Zealand was unable to compete on the Argentine market, but it still retained its goodwill in the markets of Brazil— Santos and Rio—and during this coming season it was intended again to ship 30,000 cases which had already ben sold at a satisfactory price. The* fruit upplied to the Brazilian market was of a special nature—large Delicious. At times it was difficult to obtain sufficient quantities of this type of fruit, but present indication were that supplies would be more than ample to meet requirements.

tricts:— District, Apples. Pears. Total. Cases. Cases. Auckland ... .. 67,020 5,535 72,555 Poverty Bay 4,000 — 4,000 Hawke’s Bay . 57,215 38,575 95,790 Wairarapa .. 19,120 1,450 20,570 Marlborough .. 68,795 1,210 70,005 Nelson .. 778,961 64,201 843,162 Canterbury .. 59,420 3,385 62,805 Otago 4,180 150,720