NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

Otago Witness, Volume 1851, Issue 3809, 15 March 1927, Page 21

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

METHODS OF MARKETING. AN EXPERT’S OBSERVATIONS. WELLINGTON, March 11. “I saw a whole line of- New Zealand fruit sold at 12s 6d a case, resold, and then sold again at 32s a .case,” said Mr W. H. Murray, manager of the horticultural department of the Vacuum Oil Company to-day in the course of a talk on the lack of modern methods of the disposal of produce in the New Zealand apple trade. Mr Murray travelled for two years in almost every country where fruit is grown, studying productive methods, protective measures against insects and pests, and merchandising organisation. Fourteen thousand miles were covered in the United States and Canada, Germany, France, Spain, and even Greece and Turkey, besides other countries, were examined as to the methods in every phrase of the trade. “It is with the deepest concern,” he said, “that I revisited areas which on my last visit were orchards, and which seemed to have a reasonable promise of success, but to-day they are planted with pinus insignis. After visiting nearly all the fruitgrowing countries of the world, I say that there is no country with fruit of a higher quality or with a greater tonnage to the acre on trees of equal age than New Zealand. The United States produces over 2,000,000 bushels of apples a year, besides millions of bushels of other fruits. Canada also lias a considerable product of fruit, but the greatest surprise of all was Britain, where the statistics of 1925 showed a production of about 15,000,000 bushels of apples and an importation of over 20,000,000 bushels more. The whole of the Australian and Now Zealand product would be well under 4,000,000 bushels. The importation of citrus fruits by Britain is some 18,000.000 bushels annually, which appears large until compared with the British import of 130,000 tons of sultanas and currants annually. “These figures should show the New Zealand growers the importance of the Home market,” continued Mr Murray. “New Zealand apples are available to the English market at its leanest time, because the majority of the imports into Britain come from countries in tne northern hemisphere. But what New Zealand has to appreciate is that all other countries employ the latest and most closely-studied methods of selling science to dispose of their goods. Neither Canada nor South Africa employs the slipsbol method of selling on consignment. I was at the open ing of the Exhibition at Wembley and paid 4d for an undersized immature Cleopatra apple, which was sold allegedly to advertise Australian fruit. The man in charge of it stated that he had paid for the privilege of selling it and could charge

any price he liked. It is time that New Zealand came into line with the practice of other countries to see that a persona. l representation is effected. This, I hope, wi.l be attended to in the near future. “I paid visits to the big growers in Rlitain, who were gracious enough to explain their marketing methods. These men do not market through an agency ot brokers but under their own arrangements of _ personal contact. The fruit of the British producer is submitted for ’sal& carrying a label marked ‘Federation o§ British Fruitgrowers,’ with a red apple trade mark, and stating that the standard! fo' packing, grading, and quality has been approved by the Minister of Agriculture. Prices such as 50s per bushel for No. 1 Cox’s orange pippin and 35s for No. 1, Worcester Pearmains are got by the British? Fruitgrowers’ Federation. Efforts aro about to be made to obtain for New Zea land growers prices at least half those obtained by the British growers. The British fruit is certainly in no way superior to that, of New Zealand, and much of it that brings high prices can in no way be compared with New Zealand fruit for quality. “I gathered all the literature I could while abroad,” continued Mr Murray. “My procedure in each country was first to interview its Department of Horticulture and its officers, then its research stations, and then the prominent practical growers, finishing with the marketers, or the business men of the industry. What impresses a student abroad is the terrifio amount of money that is being devoted by the various countries to research work. At Washington I had an opportunity of discussing this with Messrs Wait and Quaintance, who told me that they had several hundred men all carrying university degrees working under them in the fight against the depredations of the scale insect and mite. At the Cornell University, under Professor Whetzel. they have a splendid scheme by which the young plant pathologist is trained in the field. If any section of the fruit-growing area is menaced with a pest a young academican is loaned out to the practical grower where he studies in the orchard the pest and its depredations at first-hand and can take back to the university the specimens required for laboratory investigation with the collaboration of the officers of that department of research. This type of facility exists in practically all countries, and it should be insisted upon here to the fqllesl’extent. _ There are thousands of acres of land highly suitable for fruit culture in New Zealand, but they cannot be planted until the business has reached a stable, basis. It .is the extra shilling or two pet case that is needed to make the industry payable to the grower.”

CANTERBURY CRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKET.

a CHRISTCHURCH, March 11. Any alteration in grain and produc® values during th a week lias been of a negligible character. There has been a good

deal of talk about wheat selling at 5s a bushel, but anyone setting out on a mission to buy at this figure would not have booked much business. On the other hand there is a little Tuscan selling at 5s 3d. Farmers, for what little business is doing, are receiving from 5s Id to 5s 2d. There is a general sei against accepting ss. ’ Fowl wheat has been sold fairly freely at 5s 6d, f.0.b., for April-May delivery. Oats to-day touched the lowest point for .some time, being bought at 2s lOd, f.0.b., s.i.„ through store for prompt delivery. This is equal to 2s 2d. B’s are worth 2s on trucks. Notwithstanding this low figure there was a shade better tone in the market this afternoon, due to a few forward operators covering deliveries: gerians are not in request, and Duns are in much the same position, except for heavy dark samples, for which there is some in quiry. Chaff is quoted at £3 on trucks, with no movement in the market. The market for peas has steadied a little, and to-day 6s 6d on trucks was ruling. Perennial ryegrass is firmer and has improved a shade in price. Machine-dressed 27-281 b seed has been bought at 4s 6d a bushel, equal to about 2s 9d on trucks. Jhe amount or perennial about is believed to be limited, and the quantity carried over is not very heavy. Italian ryegrass, on the other hand, is unmarketable. The crop is an excess one, and merchants are disinclined to trade at the nominal quotations of Is fid to Is 9d on trucks. ■A few samples of wliite clover have been shown merchants, but there is some distance between merchants’ and growers’ ideas of values. From 3d to 9d per lb on trucks is mentioned. _ . There is an inquiry from Auckland for “prompt” potatoes, and a few sales have been made at £1 ss, f.0.b., s.i. Some business has keen done for July-September at £5 5s Values on trucks are from £3 to£3 2s fid. i Onions show’ no improvement, on trucks quotations being £2 10s to £A 12s 6d.