THE LEMON SHORTAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23358, 29 May 1939, Page 12

THE LEMON SHORTAGE

•Sir.—The views expressed by "Orcliardist" in your column recently, are, I am sure, heartily endorsed by a large majority of citrus growers, some of whom cured and marketed their own fruit and were more than satisfied with returns from same. With careful handling from the time of picking to marketing they did not suffer from the excessive loss of shrinkage and decay mentioned by Mr. Hunt in reply. 1 am at a loss to understand Mr. Hunt's congratulations to "Orchardist"' on having "hundreds of cases ready for market" when such cases are practically valueless under the existing grading conditions. 1 have seen a number of orchards, including my own. in which the trees are laden with fruit ready for picking, hut apparently the "leading orchardists" mentioned hv Mr. Hunt practically denuded their trees of all fruit in order to get it iiito the Tauranga Citrus Association's depot before May ] as any fruit received at the depot before that date could be cured and marketed by the association and not by the. Marketing Board, which had control only of fruit sent into various depots after May 1. It is these growers who are benefiting b.v the present high prices, not the Marketing Board. Personally. 1 did not want any interference with the private individual doing bis own curing and marketing as in all cases they marketed a better article than the depots, as their returns showed, and as did the demands for their various brands, but I say give the new system a fair trial of at least six months and then compare results, and 1 trust that the answer will not be A Lf.mox.