PARTLY SUSPENDED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 22 December 1942, Page 2

PARTLY SUSPENDED

AUSTRALIAN APPLE BOARD WIDESPREAD DISSATISFACTION Canberra, Nov. 24. Cabinet suspended the operations of the Apple and Pear Acquisition Board in all States except Tasmania and Western Australia. The reason given for the suspension was widespread dissatisfaction with the activities of the board. The Minister for Commerce, Mr Scully, said to-night that Tasmania and Western Australia had asked for the assistance of the board in transporting and marketing their crops. Both States would have a heavy surplus in the coming season, Tasmania expected a crop of 6,000,000 bushels. Only a fraction of this would be consumed locally. Practically the whole crop was exported to the mainland. Growers in the other four States, Mr Scully continued, would be able to sell their crops as they chose. No restrictions would be placed on them. Apples and pears held by the board from last season’s crop would be disposed of in all States when it acquired the whole Australian crop. In its three years of operation the board incurred a loss of more than £2.000.000, Mr Scully said In the first year it lost £600,000. and in the second year about £1.500,000. This year’s loss was expected to be much less than that of the first year, but this was mainly because of the comparative smallness of the area. The Apple and Pear Board was formed by the Commonwealth Government within two months of the outbreak of the war. In peace-time. Australia exported about 7,000.000 bushels of apples and pears a year to the United Kingdom. At least 70 ships were required between February and July of each year to transport the fruit. When it was realised that this trade could not be continued, the Government decided that the unloading of such a quantity of apples and pears on local markets would be disastrous. Prices would collapse and orchardists would be ruined. With a view to regulating supplies an Australian-wide pool was' formed. Into this pool each State had to place all pome fruit scheduled as marketable. Because of the huge surplus expected from a 13,000,000-bushel crop, however, many varieties and grades were excluded. N.S.W. PROTESTS At the outset, N.S.W. growers protested against the effect of the scheme in this State, and, ever since, efforts have been made to have N.S.W. orchardists excluded. Under the pooling arrangement, few growers have even obtained peace-time prices for their fruit, although the public has not received it any cheaper. The difference has gone to equalise prices and, in some cases, actually to pay orchardists to leave their crops on the trees. The board has been responsible for the acquisition and handling of the crop as a whole, but each State has had a separate committee to implement the scheme within its own borders.

The members of the board, as reconstituted last December, were: Mr J. B. Mills, chairman: Mr H. W. Soothill, deputy chairman; and Mr L. S. Taylor, of Tasmania.