GERMANY AS A MARKET FOR NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 5, 15 May 1913, Page 568

GERMANY AS A MARKET FOR NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

G. L. KNOWLES.

In view of the ever-increasing production of fruit in general, and of the apple in particular, in New Zealand, the following translation of a short article which appeared in the Hamburg newspaper Import-Export-Transport on the 22nd February, 1913, should be of very special interest to those fruitgrowers engaged in the search for outlets for their products overseas :- . . '

“ The fruit crop in Germany having been very poor during a number of recent, past seasons, especially with regard to apples, of which only very frugal harvests havebeen gathered,' it became necessary to import, and the importers extended a welcomealike to America, Australia, France, and Italy as sources of fresh supply. The German importers have now, however, cause for complaint in that the American apples imported in barrels are so badly sorted and graded that, considering the trouble and risk involved in handling, the ■ net profit is only very small. Consequently the importers are now determined that this bad grading shall be stopped, and they are ordering more in boxpackings, on account of the better grading and greater weight they receive in this form of packing. The trade in barrel-packed apples has, therefore, in the meantime, some-

what fallen off. In the year 1910 alone 17,000,000 marks’ worth (about £850,000) of apples were imported ; and in 1911 this figure rose to 42,500,000 marks (about £2,000,000). Australia is stepping with confidence into the competition with America, and is facilitating the trade with herself by means of the much-preferred box-packing. Furthermore, the German public much prefers the Australian apple. Russia, also, is making very energetic efforts to push her trade in particularly fine sorts of apples with Germany.” Does not the foregoing read as a lesson, and at the. same time as a further hope, for the New Zealand orchardist ? As the article shows, the German public already has a preference for the Australian apple, and New Zealand apples are recognized in Europe (as elsewhere) to be equal, if not superior, to any produced in the Commonwealth. In comparison to the huge number of consumers, an exceptionally small quantity of apples is grown in Germany, which, with its sixty-seven millions of inhabitants, may be said to present an almost unlimited field to the enterprising foreign fruitgrowers who will take the trouble to find out exactly what the German public wants—and ship it. The chief thing to be aimed at is uniformity of quality and grading. From my own observations in Hamburg and elsewhere in Germany, it is evident to me that, if properly nursed,” there is no reason why the German market should not be made to prove one of the largest and most remunerative for New Zealand fruit. For first-class? apples, properly graded and packed in boxes, high prices are easily obtainable. The average retail prices for such in Hamburg—probably the cheapest retail market for fruit in the whole of Germany no less than 50 pfennigs (6d.) per pound. ,

It is “ up to ” New Zealand to come into line in a businesslike manner, and so take her fair proportion of the fruit trade in this great market.