FRUIT MARKETING IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935, Page 14

FRUIT MARKETING IN BRITAIN

PANEL SYSTEM UNDER DISCUSSION QUESTION RAISED IN PARLIAMENT IFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, March 6. Regret that the fruit exported from New Zealand was handled by only a limited number of brokers in England was expressed by Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier) in an urgent question addressed to the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. C. E. Macmillan), in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr Barnard asked whether it was correc' that Messrs Munro and Messrs Poupart, two of the brokerage firms which formerly handled New Zealand apples and pears satisfactorily on 1 lie English market, had refused to do so on the existing panel .system, under which a certain proportion of export fruit was made available to a very limited panel of brokers, the balance—the major portion —being given to one firm, Messrs Goodwins, Ltd. Mr Barnard contended that instead of being diverted through a few specially selected firms, the fruit should be distributed freely among the many firms that formerly sought the business. After dissatisfaction in Ilawke's Bay and elsewhere, the Control Board had modified its policy of sending all the fruit for the British market to one firm only, and on certain conditions ottered exporters a selection from a small body of other firms, two of which apparently refused to handle tin: fruit. This was giving rise lo a fear Hint New Zealand fruit was being .subjected to at least a partial boycott, because of I lie Control Board's action.

"The position is," the Minister said in reply, "Ihat, a panel of brokers such as existed last season, as well as in previous seasons with the exception of 1933, has been appointed by the Fruit Control Board to handle the sale of New Zealand fruit in the London area. No special restriction that did not previously obtain has been imposed upon them by the board." The Minis.-i' added that he understood it was correct that the two firms named were included in that panel, but declined to handle the fruit forwarded unless the pooling system of fruit sales was abolished, and they were allowed to sell in the provinces, an area in which the board, as in the past, had made other arrangements. Taking all the circumstances into consideration, it wss believed that the board's policy was a practical one which should operate in the best interests of the producers, and it was certainly preferable to a system involving indiscriminate handling of New Zealand fruit in the United Kingdom.