EMBARGO ON FRUIT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 638, 16 December 1932, Page 7

EMBARGO ON FRUIT.

Effect on Local Prices Discussed. WILL ASSIST GROWERS. It was stated in Christchurch this morning that the embargo placed on Australian fruit and vegetables would have practically no effect on the prices of fruit locally, but would, greatly assist the small growers, who have been threatened with extinction as the result of overseas competition. " The embargo will have practically no effect locally so far as fruit is concerned, as the local auctioneers have assisted the growers by not bringing down importations from the North Island this season,” declared a prominent member of the Tomato and Stone Fruit Growers’ Association. 44 The importations have been largely confined *o North Island brokers, but in Wellington the retail prices have been much higher than in Christchurch. This goes to show that the importations carry no benefit whatever to the public.' In reply to a question the informant explained that the embargo had been brought about by agitation from growers throughout New’ Zealand, who had been seriously affected in the past. The importations from the Commonwealth had consisted principally of cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, marrows and cucumbers. A grower who had been forced to give up cucumber growing because of the overseas competition ruining the market, said that if it were not for the embargo the small growers would have been pushed right out of business. The embargo would have very little effect on prices, but, on the other hand, would tend to protect the public interests. “ If we had not got the embargo prices would have become dearer in time, for the reason that many growers would have been forced out of business, and high prices could then have been demanded for imported fruit and vegetables. This season the impprtations from Australia have not been so heavy, but in the past the Dominion has been a dumping ground for Australian fruit and vegetables.” An Auckland Protest. Per Pres* Association. AUCKLAND, December 16. An urgently called meeting of the Auckland Retail Fruit Traders’ Association this afternoon passed a resolution viewing with concern the embargo on Australian fruits on the ground that it will deprive them of a considerable part of their business and also deprive 90 per cent of the people of the Dominion of the opportunity of buying fruit which is necessary to health. A prominent importer said that the embargo on oranges was really serious as the Dominion was totally dependent on Australian oranges. The tariffs practically excluded Californian oranges, while Island oranges were not expected till April. The embargo was justified on small fruits, which were successfully grown in New Zealand. (The Government’s decision is reported on Page 5.)