ENGLISH FRUIT MARKET

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 46, 18 November 1926, Page 7

ENGLISH FRUIT MARKET

REASONS FOR BAD SEASON By Telegraph.—Press association, Hastings, November 17. Colonel Gray, chairman of the Print Export Control Board, addressing a meeting of fruitgrowers last night, said that four things had contributed towards the poor English market last season. These were the arsenic scare, accumulation, late shipping °* ,p le American fruit, and the general strike. The- first was rectified by the Government assuming the liability for any claims for-poisoning. -New Zealand was the- only country which was not jammed during the strike,- partly .because tlie fruit was inaccurately classified as perishable and the 1 door kept open. He urged the advisability of having an authority in England having the power to direct ships.- as the Port Hobart’s cargo was taken to Liverpool when it could have been sold -for-4s. per case more in London. - He gave full details of The size- and names'of apples popular in the.-various English and Continental towns, and recommended the growers- to make little pools among themselves of apples' of selected size and marks.

He said that whether the pooling was liked or not, it was 1 being forced upon them bv the Home conditions. They would have to be satisfied with from 12s. to 155., which would give a penny a pound in the orchards. Referring to American competition, lie said the fruit was bought by speculators. cool stored, and heavily advanced against in England. The cost of handling was only about a fifth of the New Zealand fruit ' There was a saving in stacking, packing, and clerical work. Colonel Gray. added . that it was not the red peril that was Britain’s enemy, but-America.