WORLD FRUIT TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22603, 16 December 1936, Page 9

WORLD FRUIT TRADE

FALL IN RECENT YEARS EMPIRE EXPORTS HEAVIER BRITAIN LARGEST IMPORTER [FROM our own corrkspondknt] LONDON, Nov. 25 World export trade in apples, pears, oranges and lemons during 1934 and 1935 was in each case, on the average, on a somewhat smaller scale than in the five preceding years. Iho quantities of these fruits exported from Empire countries, however, were substantially heavier. Certain other fruits, such as grapes and grapefruit, and canned fruit from Empire countries, showed a continued increase in production, according to the'lmperial Economic Committee's annual summary.

Changes in the world output of the different kinds of fruit are difficult to measure over short periods, it is noted, but there is little doubt that since the war the general tendency has been one of expansion, more especially in those countries growing fruit largely for export, and trade has developed considerably, particularly in citrus fruits, bananas and in the various kinds of canned fruit. Exports of canned fruits have increased steadily since 1930 and in 1935 they easily attained a new high level.

The United Kingdom is by far the * most important importing country, being the world's largest import mar- ' ket for apples, pears, citrus fruits, raisins and currants, and also for canned fruits. Imports into Germany have doc-lined during the past few years. Nevertheless, Germany is still the second most important market for all of the fruits mentioned, except oranges, for which it has been displaced by France, and it remains the world's . largest importer of fresh grapes.

A distinctive feature of the United Kingdom trade has been the marked growth of the imports from Empire countries, winch in 1935, a record year, were over seven times greater than in the years before the war. The Empire is a net importes of all the principal fruits, with the one exception, in normal years, of bananas. Expanding exports from the Dominions are, however, reducing the import balance to a considerable extent.