HEAVY DAMAGE

Southland Times, Issue 22157, 27 October 1933, Page 8

HEAVY DAMAGE

CENTRAL OTAGO FROST ALMOST NO FRUIT IN SOME DISTRICTS SERIOUS OUTLOOK Fruit growers in Cromwell, Clyde; Alexandra, Miller’s Flat, and Ettrick districts are faced with a very serious outlook as a result of the disastrous frost which was experienced in those districts on Sunday night. Apple, pear, strawberry, and stone fruit crops are, in most instances, practically ruined, and a public meeting of fruit growers was held in Alexandra on Wednesday to discuss ways of meeting the situation. Latest reports state that it is doubtful if any crops of consequence will be gathered from Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell orchards. Losses have also been suffered in the Miller’s Flat and Ettrick districts, but not to the same extent as in the case of the three other localities mentioned, while Roxburgh appears to have fared a little better than the other places, although the growers there have not escaped. It is not expected that more than 25 per cent, of the growing strawberry crops will be gathered. One grower who had 10,000 pottles on order for his pack of strawberries has now written cancelling the order, and other growers are cancelling their orders for cases for stone fruit and apple packing. Many orchardists will have to dismiss hands, and in addition, the Railway Department will suffer through lack of fruit for transport. It is no exaggeration to say that the frost on Sunday night will mean the loss of many thousands of pounds to growers in Central Otago. The loss of fruit will also be reflected in business at auction marts and retail shops in Dunedin, and the public will no doubt be called on to pay higher prices for the fruit which has been saved. At Hinton’s orchard,, in the Alexandra district, 1000 fire pots were lit in an effort to combat the frost, but it was too severe to be checked by this means. Residents of Central Otago state that the frost was the heaviest experienced in the last 20 years for the time of year. There have been no further frosts since Sunday night, but that does not concern orchardists to any extent, as the damage has now been done.