ORANGE PRODUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22003, 9 January 1935, Page 13

ORANGE PRODUCTION

EFFORTS IN RAROTONGA

RAISING NEW STRAINS

The orange and banana supply for the New Zealand market is likely to be improved very much shortly both as regards quality and the duration of the supply of oranges. Mr. Robert McKegg, managing director of the Cook Islands Trading Company, who was a passenger on the Maunganui to Wellington from Rarotonga on Monday, told a Post reporter of the efforts being made to make improvements by culture of new strains of orange trees bearing fruit better suited to transport and bearing in greater numbers. A marked improvement had been made in the quality of Rarotongan bananas, and hopes were well founded that still greater improvements would follow the research and experiments now under way. There had been an increase in shipments for last December compared with those for the previous December, and further expansion was being looked for. The Cook Islands formed.part of New Zealand, and it was expected that when the banana quotas next were considered Cook Island growers would receive more favourable treatment. At present the restrictions were tantamount to discrimination between, sa3 r , Hawke s Bay and Nelson growers. The quality of oranges from Rarotonga had not been very . satisfactory 111 the past and some of the growers, Mr. McKegg's own firm particularly, had been'taking the matter in hand vigorously to improve the position by importing the choicest of citrus trees, including lemons and grapefruit, from California. Some of the trees planted, though yet very young, already were in light bearing. The object was to raise citrus fruits which would carry better than the present oranges being shipped. The present imported oranges were all grown on native trees. The aim was to produce oranges which ripened more quickly and which also came into fruit after the supply of native oranges ended. Native oranges ripened at the height of the New Zealand winter when the demand was low. The earlier variety would catch the tail end of the New Zealand summer and the late variety would be in time for marketing in the New Zealand spring.