FRUITGROWERS’ CONFERENCE

Otago Witness, Issue 3615, 26 June 1923, Page 11

FRUITGROWERS’ CONFERENCE

REVIEW BY MR H. TURNER. Mr H. Turner, who has been elected to represent Otago on the directorate of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, returned to Dunedin on Monday, 18th inst. He stated that the most important item at the conference was the question of a fruit control board, covering only pip fruits, which was brought forward "by the Nelson growers. This question had been well threshed out in Nelson prior to the conference, but. as the aims and objects were unknown to the delegates from other provinces they coidd not do more than undertake to place the matter before the individual fruitgrowers of their respective districts for their consideration. r J he measure as at first suggested was for export control only, but this was amended to include control of local markets. Otago delegates made it quite clear that a control board embodying a pooling scheme would be quite unacceptable to this province, and the modified proposals to be placed before the growers will not include pooling. The local control will be limited to the standardisation of the fruit, the marking of oases, and compulsory contribution to a fund for systematically increasing the local consumption by an extensive publicity scheme on the lilies of that instituted by the Meat Control Board in regard to beef, but on a wider scale. The export control would be limited to the acquisition of freights, the securing cf the most advantageous rates of insurance, and the right to prevent the flooding of any overseas markets. Shippers would still have the right to ship through their own brokers as individuals, but there would be no objection to any province pooling its overseas shipments if desired. The question of a control board, said Mr Turner, really goes hand in hand with a request to the Government for a reinstatement of the p en ny per lb guarantee on overseas shipments for at least three years. Such a request would not receive favourable consideration unless it could be shown that the growers were prepared to have some responsible body set up, with power to act in the direction of increasing local consumption and encouraging shipments to overseas markets only where prospects of payable prices are reasonable, and with power to prevent the spoiling of any such market by glutting. The proposals have been placed before Cabinet through the Minister of Agriculture, and a reply had been promised after careful consideration. The question of the compulsory grading of apples and pears for local market was tfco cause of much straight talk, and there could be no doubt as to the sincerity of everyone interested in the desiro to improve tho standard of the fruit offered for sale on local markets. It was admitted that to make compulsory regulations effective, it would require the services of an army of

inspectors and at present it did not seem practicable. There is every probability that compulsory legislation in the meantime would be limited to the elimination* of fruit below a certain standard from local markets while the grower who voluntarily graded his marketable fruit up to the standards set would be encouraged and ways and means devised to have it clearly distinguished in tho markets from ungraded fruit. These proposals will be placed before the growers in due course. The question of Otago Province having tho right to a distinctive label for export was referred t.o tho Export Committee, and it is hoped that something will be done to distingidsh Otago apples on overseas markets and enable growers to reap the benefit of any superior qualities our fruit may possess. Otago’s request for support m forming a Provincial Council was well received and Mr Turner has succeeded in securing a grant from the federation for the necessary organisation work. The formation of such a council is expected to help considerably in straightening out- numerous export difficulties in the way of suitable freight, eto. A proposal that, the 1925 conference be held in Dunedin during the proposed Exhibition was very favourably received, arid will probably be carried into effect. The question of dehydration of surplus fruits was brought forward by Mr Weaver, of Alexandra, and the Horticultural Department promised to secure afi the latest data in regard to plants and methods and make same available to all those interested. In view of the fact that well over half a million cases of apples and pears were estimated to be in hand at the present time, it was resolved that an extensive publicity campaign be entered upon as quickly as possible with a view to increasing consumption in New Zealand. All holders of apples and pears will be asked to contribute Id per case towards the fund, which it is expected to augment by a subsidy of 5s in the £ from the fruitbrokers throughout the dominion. The advertising will bo placed in the hands of a firstclass advertising specialist and valuable help will be received from Mr Bates, head of the Government Publicity Department. Full particulars will be in the hands of the growers and fruitbrokers very shortly and it is confidently hoped that with the hearty co-operation of retailers and others interested the markets will absorb at least twice the present quantity.