NEW ZEALAND APPLES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND APPLES.

APPRECIATION IN GLASGOW. (From Ocb Own Correspondent.) LONDON. June 2. Colonel C. C. Gray went to Glasgow to meet the Ttirakiua, which brought a consignment of apples for that port ns well as for Liverpool and London—the shipment included the first of the season’s apples from Otago. Speaking of the Glasgow portion, Colonel Gray said the fruit was cleared on Tuesday. ami the bulk of it was sold next day at very fair average prices. The varieties suitable for the Scottish requirements are Delicious, Jonathans, Dunns, Coxs, Dohertys, and Stunners. The Turakin.Vs fruit arrived in Jhe most excellent condition. The Glasgow buyers are enthusiastic. the apples having made a very fine impression. It is now pretty well definitely established that there will always be a good demand there if the fruit comes in good order. It was gratifying for the New Zealand official representative to hear th«* very complimentary remarks which were made during the two days he was m Glasgow. The Turakina landed 2500 cases at Liverpool before coming round to London. The Tongariro put into Southampton during the strike,-and was unloaded in double quick time by volunteers, who were very keen workers. The 8000 cases landed there were in excellent condition. Some of the apples from the Norfolk were conveyed through London under military protection, with meat. . Vessels which were in stream at the end of the week included the Tairoa, which was discharging, and the Athenic, which was waiting for a berth. Ships about due were the Mamari, the Rotorua, the Argj 11shire—the last-named brings a consignment for Hull. Colonel Gray is hopeful that if the ships are able to discharge fairly slowly the market will not go any lower. On the other hand, if there is a rush of fruit the prices are bound to suffer, specially as there are shipments from Australia, including Tasmania, waiting. Of course, it is recognised that as soon as the soft fruits come into season there will be little request for apples. The last shipment of all is due on July 1, and will go north, where soft fruits are later. Up to now. with the exception of the first consignment brought by the Arawa, the New Zealand apples so fur received this season have all been in really good condi-tion-taken as a whole. The grading has been excellent, and the packing has generally been good, though sometimes a little loose. The demand for apples has suffered to some degree through the scare regarding arsenic-spraying (though New Zealand fruit was, of course, not affected); next, the strike has undoubtedly had its effect, for the man in the street has not the same spending power; and, thirdly, there have been very large shipments from America. therefore, prices have not been so good as in the past, but it is gratifying to note that no apples have sold at better prices than those from New Zealand. Bradford needs are being met from London, and the wholesaler dealing with the fruit reports well of it. Colonel Gray is not unmindful of the possible extension of the apple trade to the Continent, and he is making all in-, quiries. He knows that certain centres of Germany are being supplied by various English merchants. Tne difficulty regarding Belgium is tlie duty 120 francs per 100 kilos —on boxed and wrapped fruit. The Belgian franc is stabilised and equals 25 to the £l. Fruit that is unwrapped and is sent in barrels is exeinpt from such heavy charge, but then of course, its condition and quality can hardly be up to tho standard of the carefully-packcd and wrapped fruit. PROLONGING THE APPLE SEASON.

Mr Hal Williams, formerly of New Zealand, writes to The Imperial Food Journal, suggesting the prolongation of the a' > season. He says that during the ay months of July and August parents

are crying out for apples for their children, and apart from the earlier and indifferent English varieties, they cannot get them. If America cau prolong her apple season by cold storage, why cannot Australia and New Zealand do the same? Why market when the market is already glutted? Mr Williams adds that he has consistently advised his friends who are growers in New Zealand to hold their supplies and place them on the market later, and those who have done so have reaped the reward. At present, only the late varieties from Otago and Southland can secure this late market without the aid of cold storage, but there is no reasou why practically the whole of the Australasian crop cannot be held and placed on the market after the American crop is over. Wembley showed what could be done in this respect, and what the demand was. Towards the end of the Exhibition the Australian and New Zealand apples fell off in both quality and quantity, b t this was due, and due only, to the fact that they had not been properlylield, aud were, in fact, sold out too soou. The crop is six months later than the American and Canadian crops, and it seems to him that, properly utilised, this six months is an advantage —not a drawback —to the profitable marketing of the crop.