NEW ZEALAND APPLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20380, 11 April 1928, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND APPLES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 17. Mr 11. E. Stephens (London representative of the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board has returned from a tour of the provincial markets. He visited Southampton, Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Hull. The trade in these centres, said Mr Stephens, were looking forward with very great keenness to the arrival of the New Zealand apples, more especially because the West Australian fruit will be off the market this year. The growers of West Australia had had a very poor crop, and they had over-sold what they had to the Continent. Of the Australian apples those from West Australia were the n approach in quality to the New Zealand. We hope to have a wider distribution of our apples (his season,” Mr Stephens continued. ” With an increase of about 50 per cent, on last year’s crop we must widen our market, and wo hope to give the producers much more I his year. All the places ] visited except Edinburgh and Newcastle (which get their supplies from Glasgow, Liverpool. o r Hull, will be having direct shipments. vincial traders. They are all anxious to have direct shipments They are getting rather fed up with having to go io London for their produce. There is no doubt they are very keen to handle New Zealand apples. I was bombarded by outside brokers to bo put on my list. It was rather difficult to make a selection, as many of those we already have on the list are there by the merest accident, having got a footing before wo took control. Taking it all round, wc have got a very good class of broker in the country districts. No doubt we can absolutely pick and choose, as they are all axnious to handle our produce “ Edinburgh is the one town I visited that does not seem to be very keen to obtain our fruit. It is a poor market compared to Glasgow. The Bristol people are very anxious indeed for direct shipments. It is considered that buyers will pay 2s per case more for fruit sent direct than for that which is sent on from another market The buyers naturally have the idea that fruit which is sent from Southhampton. for instance, is unsaleable there.”