NEW ZEALAND APPLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20098, 8 November 1928, Page 15

NEW ZEALAND APPLES.

MARKET IN BRITAIN.

CONFIDENCE OF BUYERS.

PROSPECTS ON CONTINENT.

[HY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NELSON, Wednesday.

The representative of tho Fruit Control Board in England last season, Mr. 11. E. Stephens, said to-day that there was no attempt to control prices, and the trade and the public wero not nntagonised. All they did was to send the fruit to tho best markets offering at tlio timo and keep a closo eye on prices ruling. If it was found a broker was falling below tho average it was generally concluded ho had enough fruit for the time being, and his allotments wero curtailed.

Mr. Stephens said he found the policy of dealing only with selected brokers was a good one, for it encouraged them to rely solely on New Zealand fruit. Tho growers could rest assured that those handling their fruit had a strong feeling of goodwill toward them. Tho general "get-up" of New Zealand fruit and tho reliability of its grading wero very much appreciated, and largely accounted for tho fact that always on an averago New Zealand apples brought from 2s to 3s a case more than Tasmanian or Australian apples. Taking everything into consideration, Mr. Stephens said, ho considered New Zealand did remarkably well. In his opinion the New Zealand pack was largely responsible for this, also tho change to the new case, which he. thought one of tho best things New Zealand ever did. In theso cases tlicro was moro net weight and less gross weight. Thcro wero from 31b. to 41b. more apples in tho case and the gross weight was from 31b. to 41b. less.

Further, there was also a genuine confidence in tho New Zealand grading. It was not uncommon for purchases to bo made on tho grade without tho apples being seen. One of tho main complaints against Now Zealand apples was bruising oil tho top layers. Ho considered this was largely done at tho other end, where tho handling of tho fruit was not understood.

Mr. Stephens spout a long time investigating tho Continental markets. Tlioro was no doubt, he said, that unless trade in England improved New Zealand must look more and more to the Continent lo lift prices. There was a big demand there for apples, but it was most important that they should bo supplied with llio sizes and varieties they asked for. Fortunately all sought different sizes, and fortunately, also, tho preference was for a larger apple than Great Britain wanted. Tho large applo had been the greatest selling difficulty in England this year. Even in Scotland, where the, preference had been for tho larger sizes, a change had developed and a smaller apple was now demanded. Another point about ilncontinent was that only a limited number of New Zealand apples were known bv name, and buyers were not keen on taking unknown varieties.