Fruit Growing.

Northland Age, Volume VI, Issue 4, 13 September 1909, Page 5

Fruit Growing.

An interesting paper on the subject of the fruit supply was read by Mr. A. Tooman, an Auckland delegate, at the meeting of the New Zealand Fruit Brokers’ Association. It was with great pleasure, said Mr. Tooman, that they noted the greatly increased consumption of fruit from year to year, as compared with the old days, when an extra cartload would glut the market. The Auckland fruit crop for the year just past, he went on to Bay, was a record one. There was a very large increase in the supply of late varieties of apples, since growers had for some time past been planting late kinds. He anticipated that in the near future late apples would sell at lower rates than would be obtainable for the midseason’s crop. He was firmly of opinion that the time had arrived when growers should give attention to the apple export trade. As to pears, lie regretted that the supply had not increased sufficiently to meet the increased demand, with the result that the prices for the best kinds had been higher than in former years. Peaches were an exceptionally good crop, and he was in hopes that they would in future have a considerable surplus for canning purposes. On the subject of grapes, Mr. Tooman said he was sorry to say that this branch of the industry was in a bad way, and the outlook was rather gloomy. Large areas of

outdoor grapes had been planted in the north during the past yews. The supply was already far in excess of the profitable demand for dessert purposes, and there appeared to be little hope of securing satisfai tory means of disposing of wines —an industry which ottered very large inducements to growers. There being no wine factories to absorb the surplus, it must go to waste. When the prohibition was removed from Australian grapes, they feared a complete glut, which had not been the case, so far as Auckland was concerned. “ Grapes with us have been so cheap,” he remarked, “that not a single case of imported grapes arrived in Auckland to my knowledge this season, and had they done so they would not have realised more than the cost and freight and duty.” Dealing with the subject of canned fruits Mr. Tooman said that, given a fair run for a few years, he saw no reason why the importation of canned fruits into the Dominion should not be a thing of the past. Satisfactory strides had been made of late, particularly in Hawke’s Bay, and Auckland had also packed a fair quantity. But he was sorry to say that bis own district, which should be foremost, was really behind the other fruit-growing centres in that branch. The fruits required in tins were chiefly pears, peaches, apricots, and a moderate quantity of apples. In order to make the industry a success it was necessary that only the most suitable varieties should be grown for that special purpose. Some growers were of opinion that anything was good enough for tins, but that was a serious mistake. Only the best and most suitable fruit must be put up in order to enable them to compete with the imported article, and eventually take its place. With the steady increase of local canning one would have expected to find a decline in the quantity of imported tinned fruit, but ii had been the reverse this season, partly due to the unusually low prices of Cafifornian canned and dried fruits, owing to the exceptional crops, and a splendid season, coupled with stringency in the world’s money markets. He was sorry to say that the local canned pears would not at present sell against Californian, for the reason that the local people were packing the wrong varieties, which, although of fairly good quality, turned out a pinky colour as against the Californian Bartlett or Bon Cretien, which were white. To make the industry a success capital was required, and also labour, and unfortunately the whole load was carried by the producer, since labour frightened capital out, as it was doing in every industry in the Dominion. The labour question was practically the only obstacle in the way of the industry. He did not think that New Zealand would ever have a profitable export outlet for canned fruit, as it could not be expected they would be able to compete in other markets with countries which held so many great advantages. On the subject of dried fruits Mr. Tooman said that, in removing the duty it was easily seen that those responsible considered the interests of the city labour unionist to the detriment of the hard worked tiller of the soil. He was firmly of opinion that all duties on dried fruits should be replaced. The conference unanimously accorded Mr. Tooman a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting paper.