AUSTRALIAN CANNED FRUIT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 138, 7 March 1921, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN CANNED FRUIT

SALES AFFECTED BY BAD PICKING ADVERSE REPORTS FROM ENGLAND By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright. (Rec. March 6, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 4. English merchants are declining to consider forward shipments of Australian canned fruits at any price under existing conditions. According to Mr. Stanley Kino, a prominent Australian importer, small sales are taking place locally at about ten shillings, from the warehouse, which is equivalent to under half t'he 1920 opening price. In many instances half the contents of the tins opened have been unfit for human consumption.

Regarding jams, quince and melon varieties, costing 155., are offering for 6s. dozen with no sales, while saleable varieties are detrimentally affected by the disgraceful “get-up” and bad condition of the tins.

Meanwhile the Queensland agency has been unable to dispose of pineapples for the reason that there is no coring, and that they are not properly sliced or packed suitable for fruit such as the Queensland pine, and the cost is higher than the Hawaiian article.

Mr. Ashbojt, partner in the firm of Jones and Company, confirms Mr. Hunter’s recent attack on canning methods, and says that England will not buy unless the Australian article is improved.

Australian agents have been actually compelled to sell Californian products owing to tho unpopularity of Australian. California has ten grades and Australian one, and sometimes two. Mr. Aslrbolt makes no reference to t'he size of tho fruit, its ripeness or colour, but attributes the undue percentage pf "puffed” and "blown” tins to the fruit not being -thoroughly boiled in Australia and bacteria germinating in the passage through the tropics.—United Service.