A PRUNE PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1929, Page 14

A PRUNE PROBLEM

Australian fruit-growers, like ninny of' their brethren in New Zealand, arc anxious to expand beyond their domestic market, but strongly resent foreign fruit competing in that market with their own. New South Wales prune-growers recently waited upon the Moral Minister for Customs and urged a duty of 4Msd to Cd per pound on foreign prunes or their total exclusion from Australia. Tho Minister, in reply, pointed out that the matter had been under notice since 1924, and, although there had been the closest investigation, there was nothing to show that the dumping had taken place or, indeed, was about to take place. The evidence ■was that prunes were not being coM in Australia at a price below that charged in California; and there was also definite evidence that the Californian prunes in Australia (both wholesale and retail) were being disposed of nt a higher price than that prevailing for the local product. .As to the suggested increase in duty, that matter was now before the Tari/f Hoard, The Minister further stated that Californian prunes were already subject to a duty .-Ji-ino uei 1 cent.