N. Z. Products at Home.

Patea Mail, Volume XV, Issue 114, 1 October 1902, Page 2

N. Z. Products at Home.

Wellington, September 29. The Department of Industries and Commerce has received a report from Mr Cameron, Produce Commissioner in London, dated 22nd August, regarding the market for fruit pulp and hemp. The report shows that owing to bad weather the English fruit crop has been a comparative failure, and on the Continent the prospects of large supplies are poor. In California, which sends large quantities of apricots to London, the fruit this season is unusually small for bottling. The larger proportion will bo used for pulping. The Commissioner is inclined to urge a shipment of raspberry and black currant pulp from New Zealand during the next season. The present price for raspberry is about 26s per cwt., and for black currant pulp about 30s, with an advancing market. Every care should be taken as to the quality being satisfactory. No water, sugar, or preservative should bo added. Though a shipment of pulp is to a certain extent speculative, the coming season offers a more favourable oppor tunity thau for some years. Prices for hemp have again become firm and satisfactory. Owing- to expected large supplies of Manila, New Zealand had gone down to £2B 10s, but has since risen to £33 and £34, which price is likely to be maintained for some time. Homp from New Zealand lately has shown much improvement in quality, probably owing to the system of grading adopted by the Government. For some timo there has been less hemp arriving in England from Manila than used to be the case, as Americans aro largely buying direct. This is likely to be an advantage to shipments arriving from this colony.