A FORECAST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20784, 20 July 1937, Page 6

A FORECAST

NEXT SEASON’S FRUIT EXPORT

GROWERS’ SHARE OF THE GUARANTEE Bj Telegraph—Preac Association HASTINGS, July 19, The probability of a million cases of fruit being available for export during the coming season from the Hawke’s Bay and Nelson districts alone was forecasted by Mr H. E. Stephens, chairman of the New Zealand Fruit Control Board, in an address to the delegates attending the Hawke's Bay Provincial Conference at Hastings to-day. Although big developments were anticipated in regard to the local market, Mr Stephens was strongly of the opinion that export would remain the growers' main market.

During the course of the conference it was pointed out by Mr S. Salter, in reference to the Government guarantee, that the Fruit Board’s balancesheet showed that while practically £600,000 was spent by fruitgrowers, all they got back was roughly £270,000. “Another way to put it," said Mr W, Benzies, "would be that out of 10/6 the amount of the guarantee—a net 2/3 goes to pay for production.” “The Government has given us 10/6,” said Mr A. M. Robertson. “The charges for packing and material run into 8/-, and the costs of growing and picking the fruit and putting it into the shed adds another 3/-, making a total of 11/-. That last 3/- includes wages for the grower and interest on his land. I would like the public to understand that the grower is not getting 10/6. He is the medium through which the workers get in.”