ARGENTINE FRUIT PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 10

ARGENTINE FRUIT PROSPECTS

THE EXPORT TRADE. OPTIMISTIC OPINION'S DISCOUNTED Tho optimistic opinions concerning the prospects of New Zealand working up a large fruit export trade with the Argenline, recently uttered by Mr. Thos. Horton, ot Hastings, the well-known nurseryman, who has just returned from a visit to the Argentine, were, telegraphs our Auckland correspondent, somewhat discounted on Saturday by .Mr. T. 12. Tegner, who holds a responsible position in the German Bank of South America. Mr. Tegner is at present on a combined holiday and business-visit to Auckland, and incidentally is looking into matters connected with tho trade between the two countries. While agreeing that for a few years the Now Zealand fruit trade with tho Argentine may flourish, Mr. Tegner is of opinion that the Argentine fruit farms will expand to such an extent in the next ten years that that country will be in a position more than to supply its own demand. "I am convinced that Mr. Iforfou has painted too rosy a picture of the prospects of the fruit trade between New Zealand and tho Argentine," said Mr. Tegner, "and in tho interests of tho orchnnlists of this Do-' minion I think it would bo advisable to place the exact position beforo them. In tho first placo it has been stated tlwt Argentine buyers are prepared to pay more for New Zealand fruit than for that of any other country. This, in my opinion, is wrong, for Chilian fruit is most favoured in the Argentine. It has been said that tho demand is practically unlimited, and, further, that an order for 200,000 cases of fruit has been seen red," continued Mr. Tegner. "There must," he said, "be a mistake somewhere, for half that amount shipped during the four months suggested would be exceedingly hard to dispose of. In this connection 1 may state that only two days ago I received reliable information that at the end of March tho Argentine apple market was very depressed. There was such a glut of apples that one firm was highly delighted when an expected shipment failed to arrive. But regarding ths price quo ted (Gs. G'd. per case f'.0.b.)," Mr. Tegner went on, "to my knowledge there is only one firm in the Argentine, and that perhaps tho largest buyer of fruit in the country, which would buy on f.o.b. prices, and this firm, lanl confident, could not at the very outside dispose of more than 50,000 cases of imported apples per year. The other firms are operating under c.i.f. conditions. Mr. Horton mentioned that it will be at least ■ thirty years before the Republic can produce sufficient fruit to meet its own demand. I'rohi what f know of the country, nfler a residence there extending over some years, 1 am confident that in ten years at the most, the consumers will _n/it need a single case of apples from New Zealand."