FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1925, Page 4

FRUIT INDUSTRY.

AUCKLAND, Nov. 3. The fruit industry of tlio Dominion lias reached a stage at which it is imperative to build up trade, and in this connection Colonel Gray, chairman of the Fruit Export Control Board; Air James Campbell, chief of the Horticultural Division of the Department of Agriculture; and Air 11. E. Napier, secretary of the Control Board and manager of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ jToderalion, arc at present in Auckland.

Interviewed. Air Campbell said that there bad been considerable development in the production of fruit.in tlio Dominion in recent years, with tlio result that the local markets were not able to absorb the output under condition.-. satiAartory to tbe grower. At the same films there had been a .substantial development, of the export trade, ■ amounting last year to about 240,000 cases. This bad constituted definite relief to tbe market, and yet local prices had been low. Growers in districts that bad not previously exported bad come to realise that they must improve their marketing eondil i 111 1 -. either by export or by ittcreas-

mg tbe local consumption of fruit as a result of better distribution. As a matter of fact, both these remedies Humid,he employed, and it was to ns-A-t growers along these lines that the Depart nit'll 1 bad arranged the present tour.

Colonel Gray stilted that, although the Fruit Control Board had boon given exceedingly wide powers, there was no intention to give arbitrary effect- to them. It was intended to operate along lines that proved acceptable to the majority of growers whom it was hoped to benefit. Voluntary cooperation. not compulsion, was the basis of the hoard’s policy. It was proposed to ask growers to hand over a percentage of their fruit to the board, dealing themselves with the balance as they thought fit. The hoard would market the portion allplod to its care in other portions of the United Kingdom than London, possibly also on the Continent and in South America. The idea, was Id widen the distribution area. The hoard would arrange for direct .shipments from New Zealand ports to English ports, and at the other end would sell through v holcsale firms who would render tho account sales direct to tlip grower, just ns London brokers would do. He would shortly visit Britain, and hoped to find out the host method of arranging shipments al periods and in qualities to meet the requirements of the English market. "With proper organisation it should lie- possible to send fruit forward in such quantities and at such intervals as wore asked for by merchants at tho other end. AVith regard to South America, where -there was a limited market. Colonel Gray said that large issues were involved. The United States was keen to keep for herself the Argentine market and to have Australian and New Zealand fruits excluded. An embargo had lieen officially declared on what was. so far as New Zealand was concerned, a flimsy excuse. Fruit from Australia and New 'Zealand was barred because of the alleged presence of fruit- fly. As there was no fruit fly in New Zealand, he was rpiite hopeful that, with the assistance of representatives from the British Government, it would he possible to have the embargo removed.