APPLE TRADE PROSPECTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1126, 13 May 1911, Page 8

APPLE TRADE PROSPECTS.

FRUIT "COVERED WITH ICE."

In view of New Zealand's attempt to build up an export trade in apples, and the cablp report concerning this year's trial shipment, it is interesting that late in March the steamer Somerset arrived in London with a largo cargo of refrigerating produco from Australia, including 4528 cases of apples and pears from tho Commonwealth. All this fruit was sold at Covent Garden. "Tho bulk of tho goods was in good condition," says a Sydney paper, "but it is necessary to noto that tho frost had got into about 5 per cent, of tho cases. Some of tho apples woro actually covered with ice. Respecting the quality of the apples, no fault is to be found, but it is necessary to say that they wero green and somewhat hard, as one might expect of shipment number one. Tho greater part of the fruit exposed for salo consisted of Renetto do Canadas and London Pippins;—commonly called Five Crowns. This apple is considered a very superior article by tho London fruit trade for high-class cooking purposes. Only about half a dozen kinds of apples arrived in this first boat. Tho selling values wero as follow: — Jonathans 13s. to 165., London Pippins 10s. to 11s. 6;1., Renetto 9s. to 10s. 6d., Bismarcks 10s., Cleopatras 13s. to 14s. 6d. These prices coihparoi' favourably with tho rates currant last year for tno first shipment. Nono of tho apples, I am glad to say, of this year's first, consignment wero affected with tho 'bitter pit.' I may mention that one bos of Orange Pippins mado £1. "As to tho gonoral prospects of Australian apples for 1911, expectations held by brokers and importers suggest that the season will bo a particularly good one."