FRUIT EXPORT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16121, 9 May 1923, Page 3

FRUIT EXPORT.

HIGH GRADING STANDARD

MR. M. DAVEY'S OBSERVATIONS

Tho Government resident orchard instructor, Mr. M. Davey, has just returned from the Nelson district, where for some weeks he has been engaged ill inspection of fruit for export overseas. In conversation with a reporter to-day he gave a number of facts in connection with fruit export that should be of especial interest to Poverty Bay growers, as the shipment of fruit must eventually develop in this district. Theio are three grades in which fruit is shipped overseas, Mi'. Davey stated. These are "extra fancy," "fancy," and "good," in the order of precedence. The first two grades carry a Government guarantee which this year represents lis per case, and departmental inspectors review every line shipped, with a view to maintaining a high export standard. The fact that New Zealand fruit commands, on the open market, from 2s to 3sj more per case than the Australian product, gives proof of the efficacy of the system. Where ' the samples of the lines are up to .standard, the inspectors! apply tho standard label, and stamp it with the grade and producer's number, and tho Government stamp indicating that it has passed inspection. Fruit that is not up to the standard is rejectod, and tho grower has tho choice of re-grading it, or forwarding it to tho domestic markets. Practically speaking, only apples have been exported this year, and unfortunately some of the shipments have arrived on tho London market in bad condition, due to various causes, one nf (hem being the refrigerated methods used. The Whangarafta's shipment this year, as last, arrived in splendid condition, and did much lo help the good name of New Zealand products. South America, has proved lo be the best market this year, some consignments returning lis per case net to the grower. The total export from the Dominion this season has not been much beyond 100,000 cases, as against approximately two million cases from Australia and Tasmania. It is indeed satisfactory to learn that the product sent from the Dominion is of .a high standard, and that everything is being done to maintain that standard.