FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 8

FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE

COMPULSORY GRADING FAVOURED

The conference of the New Zealand Fruit-rowers' Federation was continued yesterday under the presidency of Mr. J 'on tfie recommendation of the special committee set up to go into the question of tho classification of varieties for export, the conference affirmed that all fruit coming within the requirements of "e\fra fancy" and "fancy" be separated according to colour; the higher colour to conform to that of the present extra fancy and the remainder to conform to iho colour requirements of the present fancy grade, and the higher colour of fancy grade to be branded 'Fancj\ high coloured," and tho lower "Fancy, the extra fancy to be allowed 1 per cent, of blemish on each individual apple. It was further decided that the striped varieties bo a separate class with 15 per cent, as the ■ minimum of colour for fancy grade.'

Tho "Black Spot." Mr. Fitch, of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association, moved that ' the "black apot" regulations be relaxed. Mr. Fitch emphasised that while they could not be too strict in the export trade, it was not necessary to ho nearly so particular in connection with the colonial distribution of fruit. The chairman explained that the regulations were already sufficiently elastic, in that up to one inch of "black spot" was allowed on fruit marketed locally, providing that the cases wv-o marked- as being infected with the dis-

eas». ' ' As a direct negative the Ta6man Association proposed: "That the Department of Agriculture be asked to at once cancel the permission granted during the past season to growers to market 'black spot' apples on the local : market, as such a regulation is calculated to do untold harm to clean orchards through the widespread distribution, of 'black spot throughout the Dominion." Mr. J. Campbell, Assistant-Director of Horticulture, agreed that the position was not satisfactory either to tho Department or the growers. Tasmania excepted, no other countrv allowed as much latitude in connection with the 'black spot' as New Zealand did. Tho growers themselves, however, were not prepared to submit to a clean-fruit standard. This was tho crux of the whole question. In the course of a general discussion it was urged that growers could not make their standard too high, and that to this end no second grade fruit whatever should bo allowed on the market.

Ultimately the conference adopted a modified resolution recommending that 5 per oent. of spot be allowed in the case of fruit markotcd locally, provided that tho cases were clearly market "black Bpot"; all other grades to bo clean; and in tho ovont of fruit having more than 5 por cent, of infection being marketed, tho Department to order It to bo Bout to some central jam factory or to some charitable institution, as deemed necessary. Compulsory Grading and Packing. With a view to eliminating- from tho market fruit which .at the beat is only suitablo for factories and which spoils tho market for better grades, it was decidod in the face of considerable opposition to request the Government to make standard grading and packing compulsory for next season, with provision for orchard runs. Tho conference will conclude it*. deliberations to-day.