THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19066, 11 January 1924, Page 8

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

GRADING OF APPLES. THE FIREBLICHT MENACE. PROSPECT OF EXPORT TRADE. UTbou Our Own CorbebpokdbktJ AUCKLAND, January 10. Tho grading of apples by individual growers was referred to by Mr J. A. Campbell, Director of the Horticultural Division of the Agricultural Department, who htis arrived from Wellington. Under this system of grading, which was introduced by the department last season, grower’s may grade their y;**‘d according to tho standards provided, indicating the different grades by coloured labels. By arrangement the fruit cases so marked when they reach the auctioneer are set aside, and are inspected by the Government graders, who either confirm the grade claimed or alter it as their judgment directs. The fruit then comes under the hammer. Under this system the buyer has additional confidence in his purchase, as practically ho is buying under a Government guarantee of the grade. Since it was initiated last season m Wellington the system has proved beneficial to those growers who adopted it. Tho position in. regard to fireblight, said Mr Campbell, was much more favourable than had been the case since the first outbreak in 15520. The operation of the Fireblight Act of last session had materiallv helped the position, inasmuch as it had enabled the department to deal with hawthorn and lessen its danger in tho areas affected. Fortunately fireblight was by no means general in New Zealand, being confined to a specific area, and the prospect cf controlling the disease to the extent of enabling fruit to bo produced with little detriment was reasonably bright. “Quite satisfactory,” was Mr Campbell’s verdict in regard to the prospect of export overseas during the coming season. The renewal of the Government guarantee of Id net per lb to the grower of apples, he said, bad encouraged the producers to lay themselves out for that trade. The estimate of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation secured from various districts was that 250.029 eases of nnples would be exported to England and o*ber markets. That total would approximately be 100.000 cases in excess of last year’s exports. A verv satisfactory contraet bad berna arranged between the Fruitgrowers’ Federation on behalf of tke g.;-e” - ers nor) a fi-Pl in Montevideo, under which 50,000 cases wn”’d be shipped to South American markets on a c ’ f. basis ever tby season at a price which was quite satisfactory. That, mi°-ht prove to be the forerunner of the establishment cf a satisfactory trade with those markets.