PHENOMENAL GROWTH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2387, 17 February 1915, Page 7

PHENOMENAL GROWTH

. FRUIT EXPORT ,

RANKING WITH OUR CHIEF INDUSTRIES

LATEST FIGURES

111 the last few years New Zealand has made very great advancement in the fruit-growing industry, and it is understood that the Department of Aguculture regards the progress as phenomenal. The labour which Jjcpartment has put' iiito thotasK or developing the industry'on right lines is at last beiug rewarded. I'or a number of years no very great progresses observed, but the fact that the officers of the Department were doing good work all' along has been demonstrated by the progress the industry hasrsince made. In the past, niany of the orchards were absolutely p6st-ridden, and business men would • not put money into them. Now, however, the story is very and year niter. year sees greatly, increasing areas of orchards being'planted on the best systems known to the world. # ' The expansion of the industry _is clearly shown in the : figures, which indicate: the'acreage of land under fruit cultivation. These are the figures i-" : . • Year. ' Acreage. 1909 30,424 . 1910 31,769 1911 33,839 ' 1912 36,967 . 1913 38,797 , , 1914 42,350 I This represents an. increase of 11,920 acres in five years. - : The area of 3522 acres was set out during the last planting season —1914. j ' Growth in Exportation. To encourage the growth of fruit for exportation, the Agricultural Department, a few years/ago; offered guarantees of certain monetary returns on tipples sent oversea. . Also, the Department helped the growers by giving frequent'demonstrations in grading nnd packing and in pursuing inspection wpfk. Figiires illustrate bow the ef forts of the Department and the growers have been crowned with' success:— . - Cases Year.- Exported. . 1910' 5,647 1911 .......................v 6,031 1912 W69 j 1913 ; 33,000 1914 .... . 67,964

It was estimated, that, in this year the asportations would total at least 120,000 cases,, and perhaps 150,000 cases. However, the. war somewhat upset matters. 1 * Most of the firuit exported from New Zealand goes to South America. • - Speaking in the Nelson district last export season, Mr. T. W. Kirk, the head of the Fruit Division of the Department of . Agriculture, • stated that the most conservative estimate he could make, of the .production of apples alone in tho season. four years ahead -was 1,500,000 cases. In his own mind, he added, he was convinced that the quantity would ■ by that time he considerably over 2,000,000 cases. _ This estimate is held by growers .to indicate that the fruit industry is rapidly; assuming proportions which; will entitle it to rank with our foremost export industries.

| Remarkable profits. •' It is held by some who, have studied the fruit problems of'New-Zealandtbat tho orharding industry is deserving of special encouragement from the State, because it can be carried on profitably on lands which are practically useless for: any 'other purpose. Practically tho whole of the, recent extensions of orchards have been effected on lands of this , class. 'Oho experienced, grower declared ;to a Dominion representative', yesterday that. it. had been amply demonstrated that orchards properly looked after will yield a greater profit than can bo got through any other rtne of production oif even the richest lands of tho country. . . Another evidence of the increasing interest taken in commercial orcharding is that prior to 1913 ■ the co-operative fruit-testing acres numbered seventeen. During 1913 twenty-seven more : ;were added, and last year fifteen were put down. :■ This brought the total up to 69. For those who are not quite familiar with the meaning of tho term "fruit-testing acre," it may. be stated that the Department of Agriculture arranges to supply- to, some grower fruit trees which it is thought will succeed in. the grower's' district. The Department pays for the fertilisers, and its officers do the pruning. The grower undertakes to carry out the other neces3&fy work under tho supervision of ths Department. In this way valuable in'formation is secured by the grower, and his neighbours as to the varieties_ of fruit trees best suited to the locality.