THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19495, 26 November 1926, Page 15

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

MARKETING IN ENGLAND.

LONDON MANAGER SUGGESTED. CRITICISM OF ORC.HARDIST. The institution of the Control Board k-, overcome the difficulties of New Zealand fruitgrowers is not favoured by Mr. p Stewart, an orchardist, of Richmond, Xeison. who. upon his return from England by the Avawa yesterday, said he Jmd nia'lf close investigations into Eng],,h marketing conditions. He suggests { he appointment of a London marketing manager. "Orchanli-ts lifie are quite pleased to pet a pennv a pound for their apples on trees, yet these apples are selling j,, .n at Bil and 10(1 a pound," said Mr Stewart. The apples were bought through agents at 6s a case and retailed gt f rul i! 24s to 30s a case. American competition was very strong and the Americans had their own coid stores in London. "1 visited Canada House in Loudon," added Mr. Stewart, "and made the suggestion that Canada, Australia and New Zealand should cornj,;nc to erei t. similar stores in London. Later I noticed that the Prime Minister { ,f Britain, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, had offered a subsidy of £1,000.000 this year to assist oversea industries. I had left England when Mr, Coates arrived, hut t .n the day 1 left I wrote to him suggesting that he and the other Dominion Prime Ministers should urge that a portion of the subsidy should be set aside for cold storage. "I believe something of this nature lias been done," he added, "and I consider it is the beginning of real business partnership between the Old Country and the Dominions. Covent Garden is going to he closed down, and this seems to be a suitable opportunity of looking for a strategic point." Mr. Stewart considered that in marketing its fruit New Zealand had little to learn. " 1 think the fruit control is at the wrong end." he said. "What is really wanted is a manager in London, with a genius for marketing, who could, if necessary, be assisted by an advisory committee. He should be a highly-paid official, invested with the responsibility not only of marketing, but also of buying the necessities required by orchardists."