FRUIT SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22627, 15 January 1937, Page 7

FRUIT SEASON

EXPORTS FROM NELSON LAST YEAR'S TOTAL EXPECTED The 1937 fruit export season will commence in Nelson on February 1 with the picking of the Grarenstein, Worcester and Alfriston varieties of apples, of which the first shipment will leave New Zealand on the Fordsdale which will load 11,400 cases at Wellington from February 9 to 11. The Nelson office of the New Zealand Fruit Federation advised this week that it was estimated this season's total export would be about equal to last year's, when 787,180 cases were sent from the province. The subject of crop prospects had been receiving consideration for some weeks so that shipping and other arrangements could he made. It was thought earlier that the crop would be on the light side, but from the present estimate there is every indication that there will be an average crop, in spite of the fact that some varieties are patchy.

It is anticipated that more Nelson fruit than usual will be held for the local markets this year owing to the storm and frost damage to Hawke's Bay crops, and this will no doubt affect the export total.

SITUATION IN WAIKATO FAIR CROPS HARVESTED [FROM Ol'R OWN CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Thursday A fair season has been experienced by Waikato fruitgrowers in spite of the unfavourable weather. Apples have been produced in good -numbers and fair crops of poaches, plums and pears have been harvested. A good deal of fruit has been lost through the wind, while the rain lias induced brown rot in stone fruits and black spot in apples. Prompt picking and additional spraying have been necessary to reduce losses. If fine weather is experienced during the next month or so. satisfactory crops of the later maturing fruit are expected. Yields of grapes at Te Kauwliata are reported to be smaller than those of recent years. The apple crops are satisfactory, but the. quantities of pears grown are lighter than usual.