FRUIT YIELDS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 35 (Supplement)

FRUIT YIELDS

Industry Has Made Giant Strides THE EXPORT TRADE Begun, as all industries are, in a comparatively small way, the fruitgrowing in the semi-suburban districts of Hastings has increased to such an extent as to become one of the most important primary industries in the district. But there is another important aspect, and that is the development of the canning industry. - The reason for the rapid development of the fruit-growing industry is not far to seek. The head of the Argentine Commission of Experts which visited New Zealand in 1926 declared just before the Commission left New Zealand that the lands surrounding Hastings were the finest fruit-growing lands in the world. In 1924 the quantity of fruit railed from Hastings, the centre of all

Hawke's Bay orchard lands, amounted to only 8289 tons, yet the amount rail-' ed in the year 1934 was 18,586 tons. The district 's exportation of apples and pears increased from 20,436 cases in 1925 (the first export year) to 195,360 cases in 1928, an inerease of 855 per cent., and a greater inerease by 250'per eent. than that of any other fruit-grow-ing centre. In apples, pears, peaches, nectarine3 and plums" the district was easily first in New Zealand for yield per tree, was second in aprieots and third for cherries. By 1934 the number of cases of apples and pears exported had reached the large figure of 313,996 cases, or more than 15 times the export total of the first year, 1925, It was estimated a few years ago that between 9500 and 10,000 trees annually were coming into T)earing to swell the distriet*s output. Tho fertility of the district 's fruitgrowing lands is remarkable. In one instance an orchard yielded a thousand bushels of Sturmer apples an acre not once but several times. Other owners in the same area have almost reached that record. To show tho trernendous mcrease in

the Hawke's Bay fruit erop in the past few years it may be mentioned that th® quantity of fruit railed from Hastinga in 1924 was 8289 tons; in *1925, the first export year, 11,567 tons; in 1928, 14,796 tons, an inerease of 76 per cent. '.over 1924; and in 1932 it had reached 19,791 tons, an inerease of 140 per cent. For th© following four years the quantitiea railed were: 1933, 17,175 tons; 1934, 18,586 tons; 1935, 14,883 tons; 1936, 12,779 tons. The big drop last year ii accounted for by the larger quantity exported diTeet from Napier. Although the overseas fruit-export trade is only just over ten years old, it has made giant strides. Inrihe second year of the export trade Hawke's Bay took second place in quantity exported, and the growth of fruit exported from this province has been much greater, proportionately, than ingany other dis* trict in the Dominion. The growth o£ apple and pear exports during the past 12 years has been astounding. The total number of cases of fruit shipped in 1925 w.as 20,436, but ia 1926 it went up to 100,326 cases. Sincei then the figures for apples and pears are shown separately in the following table: — •

The year 1934 was the peak year iu fruit production, showing a big Inerease |n the quantity railed as well a*' exported. The estimated average annual value of the export fruit is some £220.000 tq £250,000, or a net value of £124,900 t* £140,000. Yield Per Tree. The average yield in bushels per tred of apples, pears, and stone fruits. fon the leading, fruit-growing districts of the Dominion, is as follows:— -

Government returns show that thq value of the Hawke's Bay apple crop in 1928 was £429,374, that of pears £24,986, In 1929 the figures wero £384,379 and £34,823, respectively, and in 1930, £473,024 and £21,165 xespew tively.

Year • Apples 1927 54,037 1928 163,674 1929 105,844 1 1930 217,149 1931 188,476 1932 256,767 1933 r>:.. 219,915 1934 239,225 1935 • 176,706 1936 150,819

Percentage Pears, Total Increase ove® 1925 11,174 65,211 310 32,578 195,360 855 34,365 140,209 650 30,744 247,893 1250 24,772 213,248 1050 42,321 299,088 1480 63,371 283,286 1400 74,771 313,996 ' 1550 61,938 238,644 1180 46,196 197,015 900

Stong District Apples Pears Fruitsfr Hawke's Bay 2.63 3.03 6.36 Gisborne 1.72 1.88 5.57; Nelson 1.23 1.17 /2.5S Auckland 1.03 .68 not given Wellington .97 1.24 not given Canterbury .85 1.12 5.03 Otago .58 .65 3,01