NEW ZEALAND FRUIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 August 1941, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT

MARKETING OF 1942 CROP NEW RECOMMENDATIONS ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF FEDERATION Wellington, This Day. Recommendations by the Internal Marketing Division for the marketing of the 1942 crop were before the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation in Wellington yesterday. The most important recommendation was that apple varieties be grouped into four groups, instead of three as at present. the fourth group to be compiled by culling certain varieties at present contained in group 3, and a list of the varieties proposed for group 4, to be submitted to the industry for consider* ation. This was approved by the conference with a number of dissentient*. The Government’s proposed change* in the conditions of purchase of the 1942 fruit crop were described by Mr W. Benzies. of the Internal Marketing Division. The present basis, he said, was that compiled at the beginning of 1940, which had stood the test of two seasons. It had worked reasonably well, and changes should not be made too hurriedly. The proposals might never be put into operation, but the views of growers were solicited. He gave figures which revealed the extent to which the marketing of apples had taxed the Government's distribution scheme. Given in monthly periods they were:—

From these figures. Mr Benzies said. | it could be seen that up to July this ■ year the quantity marketed exceeded 1 j the quantity marketed in the whole 12 5 months of 1940 In the peak period of six weeks. 1.205,000 cases of apple* • were received, and 660.000 were mar- | keted. an average of 110,000 a week. ’ “If we could keep this up,” he continued “there would be no question of a surplus.” R j He went on to deal with the distribui tion of fruit in schools and also to the 1 supply of apples to troops. ( A delegate: At 10s a case. r “No: not at 10s case,” replied Mr ' Benzies. “Certainly some of the fruit " is selling in canteens in Egypt at 10s a case, but that is a different matter. _ A good deal of the fruit was a gift to e j the soldiers. We are sending fruit f overseas as shipping becomes available.” y The experience of the past two years , had taught the department a great deal 1 in marketing requirements. The de- , ! partment was grateful to the growers for helping the orchard storage. By this means 475,000 cases had been held j off the market, when to handle them i would have seriously embarrassed the (scheme. The whole question of orchard storage, however, would have to be investigated, with particular reference to the needs and possibilities of different districts In addition, the time factor between orchard and consumer required careful watching, as on occasions the quality of the fruit suffered through delay in shed, in wholesale store and in retail shop. A problem which caused embarrassment at times was the multiplicity of varieties, there being 158 varieties of apples and 56 varieties of pears. Some •of these varieties, many of them unknown, merely cluttered up the mar* t ; ket. The Government was compelled _ to concentrate upon about five wellknown varieties for which there was _ a reasonable demand. In the main, the fruit this year had \ been excellent, and the grading also s was satisfactory, though perhaps not 2 quite so good as last year. He thought ~ there was a possibility of giving a bonus , ion early varieties and cool store pick- _ ! ings. but it must be within the 5s 3d a _ i case average. ■I The president, Mr T. C. Brash: a i Thank you for assuming that we are ’ going to get our 5s 3d; we are glad to j. have your opinion on that. Referring to the Government’s proposals for purchasing the 1942 crop. Mr Benzies said the adoption of these ideas would not mean any immediate benefit to the Government, but it might do so ultimately. At the moment they were principles only. Mr W. H. Stevens, chairman of the Fruit Export Control Board, said in the present marketing scheme there was the basis of a first-class plan for ; disposal of the New Zealand fruit crop. 1 The proposed changes in thj purchase \ of the 1942 crop were merely broad outJ lines in their present forms, in order that the growers could give them close " consideration. The grouping idea was 1 to encourage the growers to eliminate ? the less popular varieties, and to work only to better varieties, while the other proposals were designed to improve ; various questions now considered un- ’ satisfactory. Considerable discussion took place on s the classification of different varieties ' to the various groups, but in the mam the department's reommendations were adopted. The conference continued to-day.—

Received. by Dept. Marketec Cases. Cases January 59.000 51.000 February ... . 220.000 143.000 March 671.000 338.000 April 797,000 443.000 May 550.000 438,000 June 175.000 245.000 July 88.000 192,000