SUPPLIES OF ORANGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 6

SUPPLIES OF ORANGES

EASING OF RESTRICTIONS THE GOVERNMENT’S DECISION STATEMENT BY MINISTER (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 31. The Acting-Minister of Customs (Mr Mark Fagan) stated to-day that consideration had been given by the Government to the question of the importation of oranges during the period from November to the end of April next. “ It will be remembered,” said the Minister, “ that permission has been granted for the importation of 180,000 export cases of South Australian oranges during the period from May to November next. The Government considers that this quantity, together with the quantity of 90,000 export cases expected to come to hand from the Cook Islands, will be sufficient to meet local demands. Should the quantity be found to be inadequate, however, as has already been stated permission, will be granted for the importation of further quantities. The Government is under an obligation to ensure that shipments of oranges from other sources do not clash with shipments from the Cook Islands in order that a satisfactory price may be realised by the growers in our island dependencies. In former years, owing to the commitments of importers of Jamaican fruit, oranges were not in general permitted entry into the Dominion from the fly free area in New South Wales and Victoria. “ The shortage of citrus fruit (caused largely by circumstances obtaining in the supplying countries) and the inordinately high prices at first realised for Jamaican fruit in November last, when that first shipment was sold at auction at prices ranging up to 67s per case, were an experience which will be fresh in the public mind. The Government at 'that time stepped in and controlled the situation and made an arrangement with the importers to refund several thousands of pounds to the retailers and indirectly to the public in order to bring the price of oranges down to more reasonable levels. “ The Government is determined, insofar as its responsibility lies, to obviate, if possible, a repetition of that experience. It has therefore been decided that from the beginning of December (or earlier if necessary) to the end of April next importers are to be* free to import oranges from fly free areas in Australia and from any fly free country, such as Jamaica, without restriction as to quantity but subject, of course, to the production of the certificates required by the Department of Agriculture. This announcement is made in order that prospective importers of Jamaican oranges may be aware of the decision at the earliest possible date, and that importers may be in a position to make' such arrangements as they desire for the importation of oranges from fly free areas in Australia during the period December to April next, both months inclusive. “ The effect of this decision,” said Mr Fagan, “will be that during the period named, so far as the New Zealand Government is concerned, oranges may be imported in any quantity from the fly free sources in Australia, and the Australian Commonwealth Government has been notified of the altered position.”