QUEST FOR MARKETS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19699, 3 August 1938, Page 14

QUEST FOR MARKETS

DOMINION FRUIT DEMAND fiERMANY MR. NASH'S OUTLINE (Pur Pross Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. More than 80 delegates from all parts of New Zealand are attending he annual combined conference of he New Zealand Fruiterers" Federaion Limited and the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board, which as opened in Wellington yesterday 3 y the Minister of Marketing, the lion. W. Nash. Outlining the results of his trip ibroad in 1936, Mr. Nash said the najor success in his search for marrets was with Germany which, after he United Kingdom, was likely to become New Zealand's best customer or fruit. It was imperative, said Mr. Nash, hat expansion of markets should continue. He paid a tribute to the work in London of the High Comnissioncr, Mr. W. J. Jordan, and the Tianagcr of the New Zealand Fruit SxDort Control Board, Mr. H. Turner. There had been some difficulty in finding space for the quantities of fruit for "export which were increasing each month, said Mr. Nash. The Dairy Board and the Meat Board had shown splendid co-operation by arranging to hold back some of their shipments so that the fruit could go forward to meet the market in reasonable time and condition. The need for reducing the time between loading in New Zealand and discharge overseas was stressed by Mr. Nash. There was also, he thought, no reason why it should not be possible to arrange for direct shipments to the west coast of the United Kingdom. Mr. Nash expressed the opinion that if growers had to depend for the marketing of their fruit on commodity councils, they might not get the same results as by Government negotiation. Local marketing had presented many problems, said Mr. Nash. He had felt that the guarantee associated with the system of standardisation, which was not quite ready, might lead to some dissatisfaction. He did not think they had yet got order in the industry, which they ought to have, to build on a permanent basis, but he did know that the people had got more apples, even though the prices, in some cases, had been lower than they should have been. The guaranteed price of 4s Gd had been fixed last year, and ultimately 4s 8d had been given. This year the guarantee had been 5s 2d. "Growers • should not, on any account, take advantage of the guarantee." said Mr. Nash. "If this price is to be available to you, it is your job to see the quality comes up to the price." ADVANCE OIM SUBSIDY SALES UP TO JUNE 30 APPEAL TO MINISTER I !>... |'.-,._ K Akhih'.lhMimi > < WELLINGTON, this day. In view of the low prices being realised for fruit on the local market this season, the Government is to be asked to advance to growers a portion of the subsidy on fruit sold helore June 30, 19381 A remit to this effect was adopted by the annual combined conference Oi the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation and the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board in Wellington yesterday. The subject was raised bv the president of the federation, Mr. T. C. Brash, after the Minister of Marketing, the Hon, W. Nash, had opened the conference, "We have deeply appreciated the guarantees given us in the last two local markets," said Mr. Brash. "Is there," he asked the Minister, "any possibility of an advance in connection with the local market'.'" The question is a difficult one," said Mr. Nash. "I cannot see how it could be worked out, and 1 cannot see the practicability of it. Until we know what the realisation is for the season, I cannot see how we can make advance payments, but I should be glad to discuss th e matter further. I can. however, give an assurance that at the earliest possible moment that we can ascertain the realisation figure, we will pay out the money due to the industry." OPTIMISTIC TONE PRESIDENT'S SURVEY U'«r Prtiss Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. An optimistic note was struck by the president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation Limited, Mr. T. C. Brash, addressing the annual combined conference of the federation and the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board at Wellington yesterday. He proceeded to review the advances in the knowledge of soil cultivation, spraying, harvesting, packing, and grading. The control of the export market by the producers' own board was the envy of other countries, he said. Distribution had been widened to include 15 countries outside the United Kingdom. "Has there "been-no advance at all on the local market?" he continued. "I submit there has. The federation had demanded standardisation again and again, and now it has got it. That is the foundation on which any improvement will be based.

"I think Mr. Nash, by his remarks intended to intimate that the guarantee is to stand for price, although not necessarily tor conditions concerning standardisation, grading and varieties," said Mr. Brash. Ho was pre--pared to admit the advance on the local market was insignificant compared with what was needed to be done, but it was a mistake to believe (hat cither the Government or the board could take over the local market in one swoop. It would be necessary to improve the system of standardisation. When (he grades were fixed and standards were laid down, il was never intended that .should be the last word. There was also the need to consider guiding the distribution of fruit. I