FRUIT PRICES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 22 December 1942, Page 4

FRUIT PRICES

RECENT NEGOTIATIONS

FREE MARKETING SUGGESTION “NOOSE ROUND NECKS OF FRUITGROWERS” “The lull story of negotiations between the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation and the Government is not revealed in the statement of the Minister of Marketing 'Mr J. G. Barclay) about apple and peat prices,” said Mr H. R. Sampson, Canterbury director of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers* Federation. in reply to the statement made by the Minister concerning prices for fruit (reports “The Press”). “The Minister speaks of an arrangement. It is nothing of the sort, but commandeer. When the war broke out and cool storage on ocean-going steamers was diverted from apples to products more urgently required in the United Kingdom, growers in some parts of New Zealand became alarmed, fearing that they would not be able to dispose of the crop in the Dominion,” said Mr Sampson. “In this somewhat panic-stricken state the federation requested the Government to purchase the crop under the guaianteed price plan. but eventually agreed to a priev below the cost of production. “While Canterbury growers have strenuously opposed this since the scheme was introduced, growers in other parts have at last been forced by hard facts to ask the Government either to pay the cost of production or leave the market open. The directors of the federation suggeiled t.o the Government that the cost of production be assessed by the Price Tribunal, the Government's own organisation. This was refused by the Prime Minister. “When the federation thc-n asked for an open market with a subsidy equal to last year’s loss incurred by the Marketing Department, the Minister of Marketing made the reply that growers could have free marketing provided that they agreed to give the same service as the department gave last year. This nebulous suggestion was so incapable of definition,” said Mr Sampson, “that it could not be accepted because it would place round the necks of the growers a noose which the Minister could twist -at any time. “Growers will have no doubt that they can provide a better service than the Marketing Department, and the public will know that it could not be worked,” said Mr Sampson: “but the Minister could fix conditions and prices from day to day. Growers would have been prepared to accept a ceiling limit, but obviously could not agree to the Minister’s vague proposals.” The stabilisation order, he concluded, crystallised many injustices to fruitgrowers, and already many orchards had been destroyed throughout New Zealand, so it was obvious that the Government could have stabilisation or apples, but not both if present prices to growers continued.