Strike Causes Loss On N.Z. Apples

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 1

Strike Causes Loss On N.Z. Apples

New Zealand apples, which would normally rise in price in June, were selling at a loss in Britain because newspapers had urged housewives not to pay higher prices for food during the seamen’s strike, the deputychairman of the Apple and Pear Board (Mr 11. R. Sampson) said yesterday.

The newspapers had taken this stand fearing racketeers would take advantage of the situation to increase prices.

This loss would strain the board’s position because it already had to ensure that New Zealand apples could compete on the British market at a favourable price although the cost of getting them there was the highest.

Although the seamen had promised to handle food ships, space at the docks might become so tight that they still could not be unloaded, he said.

Market prices for New Zealand apples had been very’ ’ow before the strike and relief had been expected in June.

Mr Sampson said the board did not fear Britain's man-

oeuvres towards the European Common Market because the board had been selling apples to members of the Six for 40 years. Britain bought 75 per cent of New Zealand's export crop and was likely to continue doing so. Common Market or not.

During his eight weeks' tour of Britain, the United States, Europe and the Far East, Mr Sampson found good prospective buyers of New Zealand apples. MARKET EXPANDS The overseas market appeared to be expanding as steadily as the size of the local crop and the board did not expect to have much left from this year's estimated harvest of 3 million bushels, he said. The only recent major development in the market in Britain had been the opening of a new wholesale depot in Cardiff- “This is a model which could be followed by the rest of the United Kingdom.” There had been little improvement in sales of New Zealand apples in Ireland since 1959 because Australian and Argentinian competitors had better delivery arrangements.

“We have made arrange-

ments for a better delivery service to both Eire and Northern Ireland.” said Mr Sampson. The market in Iceland and Greenland was likely to improve considerably row that arrangements had been made to deliver 50,000 cases through Hamburg, Antwerp, Hull and Glasgow. The 20,000 cases of Stunners ordered for Greenland would have to be landed before the winter freeze-up. In Denmark, New Zealand agents had built up the market by rebuilding their warehouses to ensure quicker and cheaper handling. There were also good prospects of increased sales in Austria, Switzerland and even Gibraltar. PIE-FILLER The board had built up an apple pie-filler market in Britain and Scotland. “In fact we are getting up to 10s a carton more than our competitors for this,” Mr Sampson said.

Of all varieties offered, Granny Smith seemed the most sought after. Golden Delicious had broken into the New York market where buyers had previously clung to red apples. The Sturmer was holding its own reasonably well in the United Kingdom and northern Europe, while Cox’s Orange was wanted only in England.