NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16025, 17 September 1915, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

SOUTH AMERICAN MARKET. REPORT BY MR. TACON. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL 'CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. Reporting on his investigations into the fruit market and fruit growing in South America, Mr. G. L. Tacon. who went to America as Commissioner for the Government, states in a supplementary report that the total market in South America for the average class of apples from New Zealand is at present about 150,000 cases. If, however, our apples are graded carefully for quality, and packed to standard on the American system, and with reliable uniformity equal to American, he believes we could depend upon a market for at least 200,000 cases.

" I should expect the demand to increase year by year," continues Mr. Tacon, " from a gradual cheapening erf 'the fruit, and a widening popularity for the apple, and a general tendency in South America towards a higher living standard, all combined with a- growing population. The market is not unlimited, as we in New Zealand have been sometimes led to believe, and our main export outlets for ordinary size apples must be looked for in the Northern Hemisphere. South America, however, appears to me likely to be particularly valuable, as providing a highly profitable market in future years for off sizes, and for dessert apples above 2|in, which would be too large for the Northern Hemisphere markets. There is a fine demand for pears whenever we can ship successfully. At present only the better class can afford to buy our apples, but tendencies are at work which tend to improve the living conditions of the poorer people. " I was at Monte Video when the Ruahine arrived on April 1 with the first shipment this season of our apples," continues Mr. Tacon, and I inspected them, about 5500 cases all told. Generally sneaking, of those examined Jonathans and Cleopatras were picked too soon, and lacked colour; Monros in every case were excellent; Coxes also landed well, and looked attractive, and so did Wolsleys when large. The shipment as a whole was distinctly good, and I am told a great improvement cm those of last year. " Pears can be grown successfully in the Tigne Islands and elsewhere, but I am doubtful of apples in any part of the country at present opened up by railway. Small people cannot undertake apple-crow-ing in Argentine, as they cannot afford to wait five to seven years with continuous outlaw They do not understand apnlegrowing in Argentine, and the Italian peasant class, which does most of the intensive farming in South America, is not given to experimenting."