APPLE EXPORT TRADE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14843, 8 December 1913, Page 3

APPLE EXPORT TRADE.

PRESENT CONDITIONS AND PROSPECTS. Nelson growers state that there is every prospect of the apple export trade with South America growing to be a very big thing. The output this 6eason is much greater than it was a year ago. Nelson province is New Zealand's chief apple-exporting district, and at present almost the whole of the apples cent out of the country are going to South America. Any quantity up to 100,000 cases of apples will be exported from there to the big continent before the season is over. The Americans sent representatives out to make a straight-out deal. The price agreed upon was 6s 6d per case, but once the first orders were fulfilled the price has advanced to as high as Bs. Tasrnanian growers are only getting 4s 9d, and the additional freight is only 3d. The fact that New Zealand growers are getting considerably better prices than Tasinanians is taken as an indication that our fruit is the better*. Also, it is known that New Zealand apples have been arriving in much better condition than Tasmanians. Tasmanian growers are said to have got careless, and regarded South America as a dumping ground—this to their loss and New Zealand's gain. The New Zealand apole is of a better colour than the Tasmanian, and is slightly larger. This advantage in appearance is reckoned to be valuable in America. One of the reasons for the New Zealand fruit's arrival in such good condition is that the packing has to pass the Government experts before it goes away. A stipulation to this effect is made by the buyers, and the Growers' Federation has repeatedly supported the idea. One buyer made arrangements with the Stoko and Moutere Associations this season for 15.000 cases of apples to be sent to South America, and has since stated that the exporters may make the quantity 100.000 cases. The difficulty, of course, is to find the quantity. The same associations have practically been told that they may make the order for next season 200,000 cases. The value of the apple export trade to New Zealand may he gauged from the fact that if 100.000 cases are got awiy to South America this season at an average price of 7s per case, the cheque will amount to £35,000. In estimating the growth of the American trade, a Nelson grower told a "Dominion" representative on Thursday that he reckoned that the output would double every three years. There must be a great profit in epplevending in South America. New Zealand, apples are sometimes disposed of at from 6d each upwards. The average is 140 apples per case, and at 6d each, the case would be disposed of at £3 10s.