THE DUTY ON FRUIT

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 54, 26 November 1921, Page 12

THE DUTY ON FRUIT

ORANGES MUST BE DEARER

MERCHANTS CAUGHT BY TARIFF

Over a thousand cases of oranges arrived from California this week for Wellington fruii merchants. Oranges have always been admitted free, but the recent tariff imposed a. duty of Id. per lb. This was a sad blow to tho importers, as it at once put another Gs. per case on to the cost of all the oranges brought by the Tahiti. ,

“This duty on oranges is going to have a serious effect on the trade,” said one merchant. “As anyone can see by a glance at the fruiterers windows, oranges are selling now at 2jd. and 3d. each, or 2s. 6d. to 3s. per dozen. The duty of Id. per lb. practically means a Id. an orange on the big fruit, and there is the further consideration Jiat the merchant has to pay out his duty at once, in addition to having to take the risk on his importations, for Californian growers will not ship on consignment. This is going to mean that the price of oranges will go up to ss. and 6s. a dozen, which is not good news to those who believe them to be a great heal-h food, and for the invalids who are nourished, ajid toned up by this delicious fruit. “The orange market in Wellington de- ' pends upon imports from outside New Zealand. A few sweet oranges and “poor man” oranges are grown in the north of Auckland, but the supply is negligible compared with imports. At the present time we are still getting a few Valencias from Sydney. These are the last of the Australian oranges. The best of the oranges from Australia come from South Australia in September and October. Then follow the (Sydney oranges, which give out'before Christmas. After that we are dependent on America for supplies, until the Island oranges begin io come along in March, April, May, and June. “Now, Australia has been placed on the general tariff the oranges which have come in free will have to pay Id. per lb. as is the case to-day with the American oranges. As ter these oranges, you cannot put them on board a s-eamer at San Francisco under 305., and on top ot that there is the freight, Gs. duty, double cartage, storage, loss by ullage and, rot. Is i ; any wonder oranges are dear? “Apples from beyond New Zealand have had to pay Ml. per lb. Under the new tariff, tho duty is lid. per lb. Ihe Tahiti’s 2300 cases of apples got through on the Id. per lb. rate, which meant 3s. 4d. per case, but since then ihe tariff has been readjusted, and another sd. per lb. has l>een imposed in order to protect the local industry- TTie newest duty will amount to ss. a case-which is about the price we used to bo able to buy apples at in the market. That imposition is likely to reduce importations from America, aiid such names as the Skokum’ and 'Sunkist' will not be familiar in the land. Lemons are also imported from California, and the same attractive box-end label is given him as though New Zealand did not know a lemon when it saw one. Lemons have to pay a Id. per lb., instead of Id- as formerly.