EMBARGO ON FRUIT

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1933, Page 11

EMBARGO ON FRUIT

HAWKE’S BAY GROWERS’ VIEW. MARKET IN AMERICA. Hastings, July 10. The question of tire embargo on Australian citrus fruits l to New Zealand was discussed at a meeting of orchardists in Hastings, when the following resolution was carried:— That this meeting of Hawke’s Bay growers urges 'the Government to oppose all attempts to remove the embargo on Australian fruit; the United States of America market is now open to New Zealand fruit, but if the Australian embargo was lifted the possibility of the fr'Uit fly being carried from Australia to the United States of America via New Zealand will mean the shutting of American doors to bur fruit and thus a very promising market would be lost to New Zealand.

Speaking to the motion, Mr. A. M. Robertson, a member of the Fruit Control Board, said that an outcome of the placing of the embargo on Australian citrus fruit was that the United States had lifted its embargo on New Zealand fruit. The views expressed by those in control in the United States was that owing to fruit fly in Australia there was the danger of New Zealand being affected by the fruit imported from there. Because of this danger it was considered advisable to have an embargo upon New Zealand as well as Australian fruits. Now that New Zealand prohibits Australian fruit the Dominion was free from danger, and the United States embargo could be safely lifted. Mr. Robertson considered that the embargo on the Australian citrus fruits was necessary and would prove a great help to the Dominion growers of citrus fruits. Already there was an output of over 200,000 cases of citrus fruits from New Zealand orchards, and a lot of orchards would soon come into bearing. The' citrus fruit growing in New Zealand was likely to be a valuable in-

dustry, and the embargo would protect growers.

Mr. R. Paynter pointed. out that last year there was a surplus of 20,000 cases of Delicious, and if' it had been 'competent, big money could have been made if that surplus could have been sent to Australia, where at tire time it was possible to realise 17s 6d a case for the big size. The speaker ridiculed the idea that the Australian embargo on New Zealand fruit was because of the fear that fireblight would be spread in Australia.

There was a brief discussion, the concensus of opinion being that the embargo should not be lifted, arid the resolution was carried unanimously.