THE ORGANISATION OF LOCAL FRUIT-GROWERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3114, 19 November 1913, Page 14

THE ORGANISATION OF LOCAL FRUIT-GROWERS.

The manner in which imported fruit has beeu treated in the Wellington and other markets and the loss occasioned by even a temporary strike shows clearly the necessity for combination among local fruitgrowers. But there are many other pressing reasons why orchard-owners should form co-operative associations and initiate co-operative enterprises. Selling and other charges are at present exorbitant, and market arrangements very defective. In other countries combination has been the means of converting the orchardist's work from a maddening waste of time to a comfortable independence. There would be some little satisfaction in the present position if consumers got the benefit of the ruinous prices realised during the summer for fruit, but they do not profit by it in the least. This alone furnishes quite a sufficient reason for combination among fruit-growers. If they could only make arrangements to get closer to the consumer and deliver from the orchard to the dwelling-house directly, riper fruit would be supplied, greater satisfaction given, and an increased demand set up for it. Any local association formed need not attempt very much at the outset. The business of fruit-growing is one peculiarly suited to the small farmer with a family to take up, and thev need help to market their produce. Those already in the business make very little—only a fraction of what should be made—out of it. None of them singlehanded have sufficient output to incur much expense in dealing with it; but the volume handled by .an association would be quite a different matter. There would be justification for making such arrangements that returns would be enormously increased and the public would be served at a lower rate than at present. The ideal association is a strictly co-operative and non-profit-sharing one. Each contributor would supply a share of the capital necessary, and have voting power proportionate to tho volume of his business or the size of his orchard. The central pivot of the association would do all the business of the members —not a part of it, —and standardise sales and prices in the same way as dairy produce is being dealt with at the present time. The present arrangements from a grower’s point of view are imbecile in the extreme, and consequently the business is not so profitable as it should be. There would no doubt be occasions on which the most efficient distributive agencies could not cope with a dull market; but satisfactory deliveries from an association of growers for several years would promote confidence, and such con-

fidence would result in steadying prices. As the association strengthened it could deal with off-grade fruit, much of which is at present wasted. Its conversion into jellies, juices, cider, and vinegar would give it a value which would repay the labour spent on it, and something more, instead of feeding pigs on it. The control of the output and marketing facilities would thus remain in the hands of those who produce the fruit, and the home market would be exploited for all it was worth. At present there is not enough cohesion to enable the grower to have any say whatever in the disposal of his consignments. With a little co-operation there is no reason why a price should not be obtained which would handsomely repay the grower and deliver the fruit to the consumer at a less cost than he pays for it at present.