NEW ZEALAND APPLES

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 28

NEW ZEALAND APPLES

CONTINENTAL MARKET SLUMP IN PRICES. „ LONDON, July 16. New Zealand applegrowers are fortunate if a London selling season goes by ■without there being some incident or some combination of circumstances te lower the average of prices. Up to a month ago all was going fairly well. Prices were not high, but they had been consistent and had allowed for a small profit. The finish, of the season, however, has not proved so satisfactory. The . financial crisis in Germany has something to do with this, but some lack of organisation seems to be the chief trouble. In 12 days 300.000 cases of New Zealand apples were landed at Rotterdam and Bremerhaven from six direct ships— Somerset, Mahama, Mahia, Port Nicholson, Hertford, and Port Hunter. Owing to the trouble in Germany the London representative of the Fruit Control'Board has had to stop supplies going otrtSfrom the stores. Two-thirds of. the produce lias been distributed throughout the Continental markets, but prices are not good. The other 100,000 cases will be retained in store over the week-end, when it i* hoped the .news from: Germany will engender more confidence. Every cargo landed in- Great Britain or the Continent is inspected by a refrigerating engineer acting for the board. This official’s reports from Rotterdam and Bremerhaven are discouraging. Stunners, of which there is a large proportion in the Continental shipments, are in good condition, but the same cannot be said of Jonathans and Delicious. These have arrived in a bad condition. Prices in London continue at from Ils 6d to 13s for all red varieties and from 9s 6d to Ils for Stunners, Several very large consignments of Tasmanian Sturmers and 56,000 cases of Otago apples landed inside 10 days are now on the market. The London representative of the board has, therefore, deemed it advisable to hold back the Zealandic and the Taranaki shipments. These are held in. cool store at Southampton and. Lon?don. The object is to raise the lower level prices of the Stunners. It may also be mentioned that tire soft fruits are now being sold in abundant quantities and at reasonable prices. Reports regarding the shipments from Otago are not encouraging. It is stated that a good deal of the fruit is not i» good condition.