MARKETING OF FRUIT.

Wairarapa Age, 21 November 1928, Page 7

MARKETING OF FRUIT.

Demand on Continent WORK OF CONTROL BOARD. COMING SEASON’S PROSPECTS. Questions of vital importance to fruit-growers throughout the Dominion <ere dealt with by Mr H. E. Stephens, overseas representative of the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Boa-d, in an address to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Stephens, who is shortly leaving for london-, said the 1928 season had been noinble for the fact that New Zealand had doubled her export of apples to London. Australia hau sent two and a-half times as many apples to London. The export of pears from these two countries had doubled', while that from South Africa had increased from 340,000 boxes to over 1,000,000. There had been an inevitable reduction in prices as the fruit was placed on a market which was far from buoy?* nt. However, New Zealand growers had the satisfacllon of knowing that their fruit sold at higher prices than that of their competition. “Although London is our main market I. do think we use it too much to the detriment of other markets, ” Mr. Stephens said. *‘ It would be to our advantage to relieve the London supplies by placing more fruit in the outports. A great .quantity of the fruit that goes to London is sold for redistribution and London is not the ideal distributing centre. There is too much handling in getting fruit into Covent “Garden and then out again.” Although Covenii Garden was congested and in a bad position, it would probably be some \years before it was replaced by the London County Council’s new fruit market, which was costing £2.000,000 to build. BRITISH OUTPORT MARKETS. Refering to potential markets attire outports of Great Britain Mr. Stephens said Bristol was one of the best from the board’s point of view, as the Dominion was the only country sending apples direct there. They virtually possessed a monopoly of this market, and growers would be well advised to make more use of it. Glasgow was one of the most consistent markets in Great Britain last season, and also one of the most neglected. New Zealand could afford to place more fruit there, although care would have to be taken not to overload the market.

Great advantage would aedrue to to the New Zealand fruit exporter if shipments could be landed at West Coast of United Kingdom ports without vessels calling at London, first, as was the almost invuriabe practice now. It often happened that fruit did not reach West Coast ports until about six or eight weeks after leaving the Dominion!. This had a certain detrimental effect upon the fruit, and an effort would be made to come to a more satisfactory arrangement with the shipping companies. BENEFITS OF POOL SYSTEM. “Until things improve still further in Great Britain there does not seem to be much, prospect of higher price® being realised there, and until trade conditions are better we must look to the Continent,” Mr. Stephens added. “In my first trip to the Continent I visited Belgium, Holland and -Germany. Both of the two last-named 1 countries are.big apple consumers, and there is a large demand for the New Zealand product. ” A total of 18,000’ cases of apples was seat to Holland, a large proportion. of these coming from Auckland. The Auckland Province had gained largely last season, as a result of the operations of the pool system, and, on the average. Aucklaiyj.. apples had realised from Is to Is 6d a case more than any other parts of the country. This was largely due to the fact that they were able to forward apples in sizes to suit the demands of varrious centres. Apples sent to Rotterdam realised about 3s a case more than those sold in London, and no doubt a higher price could have been secured had the fruit been delivered direct and .so avoided excessive handling. The New Zealand shipping companies had been approached on this question, and- it had been agreed that direct shipments to Rotterdam would be arranged for the coming season. Mr. Stephens thought Rotterdam was a better distributing centre than Hamburg, where they were likely to suffer from a depression such as was experienced there some time ago. NEW AVENUES FOR TRADE. “I consider we would be quite safe in sending lOC,OOO cases of apples to the Continent next year, and I -have recommended that to the board,” Mr. Stephens said. “We can expect a fair price for them. I also went through Scandinavia and made myself acquainted with conditions there. I think 800.000 cases could be sent to Holland and Germany, which will take shipments in sizes of JOO to 150 a case, and the remainder in sizes of from 163 to I 193 a case could fgo to Scandinavia. Growers are being asked'to pack fruit for these market®, and there is also a limited market in Paris, whicr requires very largo apples.” Ihe pea market in London had now come into line with apples in that buyers demanded weight in the crates. The New Zealand growers would have to take notice of this. At the present time it was impossible to compete with South African pears in London, but fortunately the New Zealand product was available after tho short South African -season concluded. How long this would continue remained to be seen, as it tvas thought South Africa woul sooner or later become alive to tho value of cool storage. Speaking of various questions close’.y concerning the grower Mr. “Stephens -urged that less immature fruit should bo packed for export. Delicious apples were offenders in this respect, and they also being sent away with brown core. If growers could delay their picking for about a week or 10 days both of dies© difficulties would be overcome. New Zealand was generally held up as an example for its packing methods, which met with universal approval.