EXPORT OF FRUIT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 12

EXPORT OF FRUIT.

TRADE WITH THE ARGENTINE. AN UNLIMITED DEMAND. INTERVIEW WITH MR HORTON. (From Our Ows Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 22. Inquiries from some of the leading people in the Argentine for information in reference to the supply of trees and fruit from New Zealand led Mr Thomas Horton, of the firm of Messrs Thomas Horton (Limited), nurserymen, Hastings and i'ahiatna, embarking on a tour of the Argentine recently to personally interview the inquirers and look round generally. Mr Horton has just returned from his trip, and in an interview to-day gave some interesting information as to the prospects of further trade with the Argentine. “From what I have seen and have found out I am satisfied that there is going to be a big market for onr fruit in the Argentine,” said Mr Horton. Continuing, ho said that “ the leading importers of fruit in the Argentine expressed the opinion that the samples of New Zealand fruit which they have already received are far superior to anything they have had from any other part of the world. They consider that for colour, quality, and texture the New Zealand produce is just what their market requires, and that they can afford to pay better prices for the New Zealand-grown fruit than for that of anv other country. “ Their own complaint,” said Mr Horton, “ is that we have nothing much in the way of quantity to send them, the consignments received so far having been absolutely paltry in comparisop with the demand that exists for the fruit. I explained to these people that many thousands of acres had recently been laid down in this country with the leading commercial varieties of apples and pears, and that I felt quite confident that in a few years we would be able to more than supply the demands of their country. They, how r ever, assured me that our production would have to be enormous before it would fully supply their market requirements. One firm gave me a definite order for 200,000 cases of apples to be shipped each year for five voars during the months of March, April, May, and June, and stipulated that if we were unable to supply that quantity during the next few years we were to send every case that we could jioseibly muster, if we could supply them at 6s 6d per case, f.0.b.”

“ What does that price mean to the grower?” Mr Horton was asked. “ It means a really good thing for him,” was the reply. “ At 5s per case it is a good paying price, and 6s 6d means a real good thing. I am satisfied that if the product of our New Zealand orchards was sold at 5s per case the grower would have nothing to complain about. I was astonished when visiting some of the leading orchards in the Argentine to find that they were so backward in their methods of general orchard work. They apparently know very little about the control of orchard pests. Their knowledge of scientific pruning is very scanty, and in orchard management generally they are as backward as it is possible to conceive any country to be. I was more than satisfied to find that the bulk of the apples grown in the nurseries had been grafted on quince stocks, and the result was dwarfed, stunted trees which only lived for a few years and most of the fruit of which dropped off before maturity. I met several people who were anxious to plant commercial orchards on up-to-date lines. Their trouble was that there was no one to whom they could apply for direction as to the proper procedure, and I am sending a man from New Zealand to assist them in this connection. He will be employed solely by a millionaire who is anxious to experiment on a large scale on up-to-date Hues.” “ Will the Argentine in time supply its own demand?” Mr Horton was asked. “ I don’t think, the orchard business will ever be taken to very seriously by the people as a whole,” was tlie reply. ” I could only hoar of three or four enthusiasts who were at all anxious about the business. Everybody else who is out of city life seems to be more interested in growing cereals and raising cattle. If they did take orchard work on seriously 1 think it would be at least 50 years before they would be able to produce enough for their own consumption. In my opinion the only part of the country th.it i.s at all suitable for growing apples i.s 1600 to 1800 miles from the city in the province of Moudosa, at the foot of the ranges .separating Chile from the Argentine. Unlike New Zealand, the freights charged on limit and other products by the privatelyowned railways are so high as to make it almost prohibitive for anyone to send fruit to tile principal markets. Where they can produce the fruit they are so far from the markets that the freights will be one of tlie reasons that will prevent them producing heavily. The varieties of apples in greatest favour with the Argentine importers are Jonathan, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Scarlet Nonpareil, Rome Beauty, Cleopatra, M uner’s Favourite,) Ben Davis, Kokov,ood, and lieinctte an Canada. “ We sent a large consignment of fruit and other trees to the Argentine last year,” added Mr Horton, 11 and I found that these were doing particularly well. We will be sending large consignments again this year, but, as there is only a very restricted area suitable for the purpose, the planting is not likely to continue very long. I might mention that j it seems to rne that the principal difficulty to be overcome by the producers in New Zealand is that of transport. I interviewed the head offices of the SliawSavill, and Albion Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company in London in this connection, and they pointed out that

they could fill their ships with produce from New Zealand to London, and this being so they could not very well be expected to shut out much ot the London cargo so as to take consignments to South America, and after landing this to go the rest of the voyage with empty storage room in the ships. However, they said that the matter would receive careful consideration, and that they would see what could be done. If satisfactory arrangements cannot be made with the regularly trading shipping firms, I am in a position to state that another very powerful shipping company is willing to take our fruit during the season if a sufficient quantity is forthcoming.

“ Both Australia and New Zealand are more up to date than any country that I have visited. It was surprising to see old established businesses abroad working on quite obsolete lines.”

Replying to a query as to what in his opinion placed New Zealand ahead of the older countries in this matter, Mr Horton said : “ To a great extent because the orchard division of our Department of Agriculture has done so much to assist those who have gone into the industry.” Mr Horton left for Nelson yesterday on a brief business trip.