FRUIT INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 135, 12 June 1929, Page 11

FRUIT INDUSTRY

EMPIRE ; MARKETINa BOARD'S '/ ';'■'■■ WORK-.; ; ;■■' /'.;;'.'..

In the course of an address at the exhibition of Empire Marketing Board posters at; the Art Gallery to-day,: the Deputy.' British Trade' Commissioner,: Mr. W. .D. Lambie, dealt with 'certain: phases of thei board's research activities, ; 'with particular attention to the fruit industry. He explained that the board's research activities were devoted to the problems of both production and marketing,'arid consisted in part of scientific, and in part of economic investigations. One of the difficulties which have faced the fruit exporters of New Zealand has been the deterioration of their apples -during the long voyage to the Mother Country. Special attention has, therefore, been paid to tlie question of cold storage, and the possibility of avoiding wastage in transit. When shipments of New Zealand apples are made to Britain, careful observations are taken in the Bhips' holds. On arrival at London and Liverpool the cases are examined by special botanical officers of the Empire Marketing Board, and samples taken both then and subsequently from the retailers' shops. If necessary, the samples are forwarded to the board's low temperature research Station at Cambridge. Here special laboratory experiments follow, and the most exhaustivo investigations are carried out.

It has been discovered' by painstaking research that the keeping qualities of apples in cold storage depend not only upon the conditions of refrigeration, but also upon such factors as the nature of the tree, of the soil, and of the climate, and even upon such details as the -time of .the day when the :aPPles"-have,been picked. The result .ot this_work will" undoubtedly prove of the highest; value to the fruit producers of this Dominion.

In the. sphere of market information tne_ board issues a weekly publication reviewing the position of the market, turnishmg information regarding actual and prospective supplies of fruit in Britain, and forecasts of fruit crop prospects and yields. r. . ■... : _The which is' open throughout this week, continues to arouse great interest, and is being visited not only by large numbers of the general public, but also by'many prorn^ent busbies,, men, and by organised parties of, students and school children.