APPLE SHIPMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1925, Page 1

APPLE SHIPMENTS.

WELLINGTON, Feb. 16. The first shipment of New Zealand apples to go overseas this season will he loaded on the liner Rotorua cn Wednesday or Thursday. It will consist of 6500 cases of Worcesters, Permains, Cox’s,Orange, and other early varieties. The Worcesters will be the first to go overseas for some years, owing to a stowage difficulty which has prevented their shipment, and about 1500 io 200 b cases of them will he inclu l-al in Unto till.

At Nelson, in about a fortnight, the first experience of lightering fruit out to a vessel in the Bay will be gained. The liner Waimana, allotted 17,000 cases of apples, will he loaded with Cox’s Orange, Dunn’s, and the first pickings of Jonathans, which will be sent from the shore in auxiliary scows.

Shipments to Souili America also should commence to go forward, line they will leave under different conditions from those of last year. The report of -Mr W. Rice (Government Orchard Instructor and Apple Shippers’ lepjcseiitntive), who visited South America to investigate the market possibilities, was strongly against apples being shipped except in a cooling chamber. In the past the fruit has gone forward in ordinary cargo space. Shippers now have agreed that apples should be sent in refrigerated space, and the Overseas’ Shipowners’ Committee has promised to give space ii possible. The market prospects in South America, according to a cablegram received by the New Zealand Fruit-growers’ Federation, are excellent, and shippers may look forward to fair prices. This is the advice of Messrs More and Co., of Monte Video. The present prospects on the English market are stated to he really good, and stocks held this year are very much lower than tliev "ere last, being down fully 35 per cent. This is due to the very short crop in America and Canada. These countries will he off the market by the time that the New Zealand shipments arrive, and for the first time in three years Australia and New Zealand will have the market to themselves. As the Australian crop this year is not very good owing Io various diseases, provided that the Dominion cargoes arrive Home in goon condition, shippers should benefit considerable.