FRUIT EXPORT TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11303, 31 August 1922, Page 6

FRUIT EXPORT TRADE

THE STATE GUARANTEE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE A LIMITED RENEWAL. “PRACTICALLY A NECESSITY.’* The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister for Agriculture, issued the following statement yesterday : , “It will he iremembered that in con nection with the export of fresh apples and pears from New Zealand list season, the Government guaranteed the growers a net return of one penny per pound, up to 100,000 boxes. Taking into account the expenses prior to shipment, and the freight, insurance, and charges at destination, this made a total Government guarantee of between 16s 6d and 17s par box on the quantity mentioned. Unfortunately, the Home market for fruit proved very variable, mainly owing to large quantities of Australan fruit in a moro or less damaged condition being on sale at the same time as the New Zealand shipments. Full particulars of the prices are not available yet, but it is certain that considerable claims upon the guarantee will have to he met.. “The Government has, however, given very careful consideration to the position of the growers in the matter of next season’s export, and realising that some guarantee is practically a necessity to enable them to obtain advances to tide them over the long interval between the dispatch of the fruit and the receipt of the accountsales, has decided to guarantee the actual expenses incurred, not including anything for the fruit itself, and not exceedng 11s per box. As before, the total quantity to which the guarantee will apply is limited to 100,000 boxes, and as the shipments of pears have hitherto proved very uncertain in their results it has been further decided that the guarantee must he confined to apples only. It is hoped that the growers will realise that in the present financial circumstances, the Government has met them in this matter in a very liberal spirit.”