FRUIT MARKETING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 285, 4 December 1940, Page 7

FRUIT MARKETING

STATE METHODS UNDER CRITICISM DEBATE IN THE HOUSE HIGH PRICES FOR POOR QUALITY. [ Per Frees Ae.oclation. ] WELLINGTON, Dec. 3. The Minister of Marketing, Mr. Nash, in the House to-day, moved the second reading of the Agricultural Emergency Regulations Confirmation Bill, an annual measure which usually goes through all stages -without discussion. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opp., Waitomo) discussing the Bil. said the regulations were far-reacning and alfected almost every member of the community. It seemed that, in com mon with other emergency regulations, the consumer had been completely forgotten. He criticised the high price being charged for lemons when they were retailed to the public and the low prices paid growers. He stated that as a result of the low prices in the Bay of Plenty district a bulldozer was pulling up lemon trees. If that were so, the Minister should make a close inInvestigation. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Opp., Riccarton); they are pulling up apple trees in Canterbury. Mr. J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn), said they could have State marketing or tire old “hit-and-miss” system, but they should avoid a hybrid of the two. The country was faced with the same problem with other commodities that were produced in abundance, and unless the State developed a technique whereby consumers could get such articles without risk of a'rush being made on the goods in short supply, there would be a wastage while people went without. Mr. W. A. Bedkin (Opp., Central Otago), said the grower had told him the State had taken 1500 cases of pears from him and they were being sold to retailers at 25s a case. He asked the Minister what was the profit on apples exported this year, and what was the profit or loss on pears. He also asked what was the loss on apples marketed in New Zealand. Mr. Kyle contended that the Government had broken down in .Is system of distribution. Never in the history of the country had the consumer to pay so much for fruit, yet it was being tipped out on rubbish dumps. Moreover, it was a disgrace for the Government to put on the market the rotten material that was being sold. Mr. A. G. Osborne (Govt., Onehunga) said the Government’s Marketing Division had inaugurated an orderly system, and was repacking every case of apples before it was paid for by the consumer. As a result of this system retailers and consumers were able to purchase cases of sound fruit. Evidence up to the present was that there had been less wastage ana decay of fruit this year than in any previous year. Better Prices Than Ever. Mr. Nash, in reply, said the prices paid growers for lemons last year were better than they had been for the past five years, and, he thought he was correct in saying, better than ever before. The Government had lost some money on the marketing of lemons, but not much. As far as pulling the trees out in Tauranga was concerned, these trees had been affected by citrus canker, and the grower had received compensation. The Ta.uranga growers were well satisfied with the arrangements that had been made. Referring to the marketing of apples and pears, Mr. Nash said that, apples had reached the consumer in New Zealand at a lower price than previously. Just because the price of apples was 6d a pound at present, some people stated they had never been so dear before, but personally, he remembered apples bing sold for Sd a pound. The Government had not wished to market apples, said Mr. Nash, and had only consented to do so at the request of the growers. The Minister then gave an indication of some of the prices at which apples had been sold. In April 240,000 cases of apples had been sold at a fraction over a penny per pound. In May 228,000 cases had been sold at an average lid per lb., and in June 180,000 cases averaged 5s lOd per case. Stressing the difficulties of marketing the large quantities of fruit comin; in at one time, the Minister said that in one period of seven weeks the department was faced with the selling of 1,150,000 cases, and from February 9 to May 3, it had 1,830,000 cases to market. It was impossible to store this fruit, because the Government at the time had to find storage for butter. cheese, etc. They were endeavouring to work out a procedure now for cool storage of the right kinds of fruit. The Minister stressed three points in connection with fruit marketing: (1) Apples and pears were marketed because the growers desired the Government to market them. (2) More fruit had been sold than ever before. (3) It had been sold cheaper than ever. Before referring to the epples exported last season, Mr. Nash said that some 580,000 cases of fruit had been sent away. The surplus on the fruit sent overseas would be little greater than the loss on the fruit marketed locally. The surplus on fruit sold overseas would be about £200,000 and the loss on that sold on the New Zealand market would be approximately £200,000. It was the Government’s duty to avoid wastage, said the Minister, and in fruit marketing there had been less wastage than previously. Moreover no good fruit had been wasted. Mr. Nash said they should try and find a way to comnensate fruitgrowers on a low economic bas’s. “We may pay a little more than we did last year,” he added, “and if there is a loss the House must not criticise.” The Bill was put through the remaining stages and passed.