ORANGE IMPORTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 115, 1 June 1937, Page 8

ORANGE IMPORTS

-Press Asioeiatiou.I

Further Extension of Scheme Indicated MINISTER EXPLAINS

(By Telesrraph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The acting-Minister of "Customs, Hon. Mark Fagan, stated to-day that consideration had been given by the Government to the question of the importation of oranges during the period from November to the end of April next. ''It will be remembered," said the Mxnister, "that permission has been granted for the importation of 180,000 export cases of South Australian oranges during the period from May to November next. The Covernment considers that this quantity together with the quantityof 90,000 export cases expected to come to hand from the Cook Islands will be sufficient to meet local demands. Should the quantity be found to be inadequate, however, as has already been stated, permission will be granted for the importation of further quantities. "The Government are uuder obligation to enstire that shipments of oranges from other sources do not clash with shipments from The Cook Islands in order that a satisfactory price may be realised by the growers in onr island dependencies. In former years owing to the commitments of importers ot Jamaican fruit, oranges were not in general permitted entry into the Dominxon from fly-free areas in New South Wales and Yictoria. The shortage of citrus fruit (caused largely bj circumstaxxces obtaxning in supplying countries) and the inordinately high prices at first realised for Jamaican fruit in November last whtn that first: shipment was sold at auction at prices ranging up to 67s per case was an experience which will be fresh in the public mind. The Government at that time stepped in and controlled the situation and made an arrangement with the importers to refund several thousands of pounds to the retailers and indirectly to the public in order to bring the price of oranges down to more reasonable levels. "The Government are determined insofar as their responsibility lies to obviato if possible a repetition of that experience. It has, t^erefore, been decided that from the beginning of December (or earlier if found necessary) to the end of' April next importers are to be free to imporfc oranges from fly-free areas in Australia and from any fly-free country such as Jamaica without restriction os to quantity but subject of course to the production of tho ccrtificates required by the Bepartment, of Agriculture. This announcement is made in order that prospective importers of Jamaican oranges may be aware of the decision at the earliest possible date and that importers may be in a position to malce such arrangements as they dcsire for the importation of oranges from fly-free areas in Australia during the period December to April next, both months inclusive. The effeet.of this decision," said Mr. Fagan, "will be that during the period named so far as the New Zealand Government are concerned it will be open to any xmporter to bring into the Doxninion oranges in any quantity fron; the fly-free sources in Australia anu the Australian Commonwealth Government- have been notified oi the altered position. "