LEMON CONTROL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20063, 9 October 1939, Page 5

LEMON CONTROL

GOVERNMENT POLICY COMPLAINTS EXPRESSED AUCKLAND GROWERS Complete dissatisfaction with _ the Government control of the Dominion's lemon crop is felt by Auckland growers. They maintain that since the Internal Marketing Division replaced the former free marketing system last May, none of the objects leading growers to ask for Government purchase has been achieved. On the contrary, tney state that growers, retailers and the public have alike suffered severely from the change. Growers stated that the present returns under Government control fell so far short of production costs that they were unable even to purchase sufficient manure for their trees. As a result, even if they continued growing, their crop next season would be poorer than this season's. The main cause for complaint, they stated, was the discrepancy existing between the price Obtained under free marketing and the price obtained under Government control. Growers were now receiving an average of 2d. a dozen for all grades after being graded and cured by the Internal Marketing Division. Lemons were sold to the public from about Is Gd. to 2s Gd. a dozen, so that about 900 per cent, had been added On to the price from the time of purchase from the grower. Since the retailer was allowed only 33 1-3 per cent, profit, the price was being loaded by the manner of distribution by the Government. In addition growers were being given practically no allowance for rancy and extra fancy grades, which were being almost completely graded out by the Marketing Division. The bulk of the Government’s purchases were for good grade lemons, but plenty of extra fancy and fancy grades were still being sold to the public. Growers asked whether the Government was buying lemons as good and selling them as fancy.