PIP FRUIT CROP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 274, 19 November 1943, Page 3

PIP FRUIT CROP

NEW SEASONS PRICES REFUSED BY FEDERATION DIRECTORS (P.A.) Wellington, Nov. 18. The directors of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, Ltd., have refused to accept the Government’s price for the coming season’s pip fruit crop. For some months the federation has been negotiating with the Government for an Increase in price. Last year's price, with concessions, was the equivalent of an average of 6s a case. For the coming season the federation claimed 6s 7id which, it said, was barely the cost of production. It was believed the Government would accept the finding of the Stabilisation Commission on actual production costs as the basis of the price. The federation's statement is as follows:—“A distinct shock was experienced by the directors to-day when they met the Minister of Finance, Mr. W. Nash, the Minister of Supnlv, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, the Minister oT Marketing, Mr. B. Roberts, and the Minister of Rehabilitation, Major C. F. Skinner, to hear the result of the consideration which had been given by a sub-committee of the Stabilisation Commission to production costs in the pip fruit Industry. The committee had spent three months in consideration of these costs, but Mr. Nash advised the directors of the federation that production costs could not be considered and that the only concession which could be granted was a small allowance in the way of a cool store premium on portion of the crop and the cancellation of the inspection levy, with a vague promise that the position of gro’wers on uneconomic orchards would be considered.

“Amazement and dissatisfaction were most emphatically expressed. The directors refused point blank to accept such unreasonable terms.’’