THE STONE-FRUIT INDUSTRY IN OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18850, 1 May 1923, Page 2

THE STONE-FRUIT INDUSTRY IN OTAGO.

T 1 ’ TO THB EniTOB. SiK,—With reference to the , letter by “Grower” in.,• your issue of the 27th inst., I should like to make a few remarks upon the position of what ought to be one of New Zealand's leading industries; as it will be if w© can only wake up at least one of the men we -must surely possess among the growers, with push, initiative, strong organising and administrative ability—one with an Imperial outlook and the particular interests of the dominion herself at Heart. The present co-operative concern receives only half-hearted support from the growers as a whole. The future of the fruit industry rests solely on 'absolute unity amongst the, growers. , Failing that unity New Zealand wilF iieVfe'r attain the position, which is her birthright, of being one of the premier fruit producing countries, .of the world, if not actually the premier country. “Grower” must surely realise that there are auctioneers and retailers who -do not cure a straw what sort’ of a wreck they leavefor the producer, provided that they can first fill their capacious pockets. Fruit is only one of many lines to them. The very fact that a few agents have obtained! fair returns for the grower goes to point the selfish greed of the others, who are a danger to any industry in the long run. Canada had its experience of the men who in their selfish, greed hied the finest whoatlands of that dominion to death, leaving land which was despoiled and comparatively worthless for many years to come. It is utterly futile to talk about canvassing the public direct in Dunedin or any other city. That would prove a failure in the end, one of the main reasons being that the average housekeeper more often than’ not buys her fruit at short notice and likes: (ij To see what she is 'buying, (3' to bo able to make a selection or choice of fruits, or (3), buys in small quantities at a time, these quantities in the majority of cases being much less than one case. The fruit companies' inability at times to take all the fruit on offer, with the result that it is thrown upon an already glutted market, is the direct result of their stick-in-the-mud methods in the world’s markets. Until they increase the demand abroad and consequently their output, they will never be able to increase their plant at the producing end. It will be a mighty bad thing for Kew Zealand if growers in any numbers “sell out. All the foregoing remarks may appear very obvious, but they must be realised. by all concerned.- Now let us see the strong man in our midst, ‘and get him busy obtaining the backing of every -fruitgrower, not only in Otago, but in the whole dominion. Then we should see the “Fruitgrowers of New Zealand Consolidated' 1 ' spring- into being, with its administrative headquarters in the biggest , producing area and its depots spread over the dominion wherever required. This concern, would have the growers themselves as its largest shareholders, and would supply its own shops direct, manufacture its own jams and preserves, And market its own wares entirely, shipping by its own: ships! This is ho dream, or at least if it is, it is one which can with hard wort speedily become a reality. . , , , ‘ . The retailers particularly have had their chance, and they, our yellow “brothers” and others concerned, must go. This would be a fight, but a winning one, as the “N.Z.F.G.C..” would of necessity also have to buy all imported, fruits, for its shops, and if it werfe content to sell at cost price for a little it would very soon force the hands of those whose co-operative methods of buying are bringing the growers so near to ruin at least have New Zealand a white man’s country, and this can be to a great exteht achieved at the same stroke as the establishment of the finest industry in the world, set as it is. in this veritable Garden of Eden. . Needless to say, sound: up-to-date, advertising . methods would have to play a very important part in the success . of such a scheme, as they will in the success of its other industries, if New Zealand is going to make her mark in the world’s markets. By unity we stand!” —I am, etc., ’ J. Mlackav-Wood. East Taieri, April 30.