11/- Guarantee for Export Fruit

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 72, 17 December 1937, Page 5

11/- Guarantee for Export Fruit

-Press Assooiation.)

APPLES AND PEARS Control Board's Plans for Coming Season MARKET IN THE EAST

(By Telegraph—

AUCKLAND, Last Night. A decision to pay_ by way of U guarantee 11/ a case in New Zealand currency to apple and pear exportere has been made by the Government, according to an announcement by Mr. F. Firth, Auckland representative o£ the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board. He said the scheme would apply to fruit exported from the Dominion in the coming season, and it was estimated that the quantity would bi close on 1,250,000 cases. "Arrangements are being made by the board to export to the United.Kingdom, Canada, Eio de Janeiro, -Santos, Jamaica and such Continental countriee as it is possible to supply," Mr Firth stated. "After a recent visit to the' East I might also say that the way h-« been paved to make shipments to Java, Singapore, Hongkong and other Eastern centres. There is no doubt of a payable market in the East, and tha quantity of fruit that can be despatched is limited only by the amount of refrigerated shipping space that is available." Mr Firth said it was commonly supposed that the fruitgrower was making a good thing out of the guarantee, but in point of fact it did not cover the cost of production under the present Labour conditions. It merely ensured that the producer would not suffer any ■eriou« loss, and he miglit be able to -get some small return over and above the guarantee. The scheme was by no means % new proposition and had been in operation for at least 10 years, proving particularly valuable in the development of new markets. Discussing the question of the grant of £40,000 made by the Goveniment to assist growers in meeting the increased award wages, Mr Firth explained the methods of distribution had not been finally decided. The proposals, however, had by no means been lost sight of, and help was going to be given to growers who had • actually paid the higher rates of wages.