The Exportation of Fruit.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 24 October 1891, Page 2

The Exportation of Fruit.

WHAT HAS BEEN'DONB, ANDEAN BE DONE. Mr J. Chaffey, of Milduva irrigation fame, has paid great attention to the export of green fruit to England. Eecently he took a trip to London on the X.M.S. Orizaba, which vessel had on board 12,000 cases of Tasmanian apples. He took notes of the method of packing and shipping followed in Tasmania, and paid strict attention to the temperature of the cool chamber in which the greater part of the shipment was stowed. He was in Covent Garden market the second day after the arrival of the Orizaba's consignment. The apples were pnt up by auction and sold at from 11s to 12s per case. The previous day they brought from. lGs to 25s per case. Some of the apples were sent in the cool chamber, and some as geneeral cargo, the object being, to test the carrying capacities of the fruit, freight by the cold chamber being much more expensive. He saw the apples opened, and while those sent in the cool chamber arrived in excelcondition, those despatched as general cargo were practically a failure, and did not pay expenses. He considered it was no use trying to consign fruit except in the cool chamber. The temperature was kept at 45 to 50 deg.. but not at freezing point, because actual freezing would take all the virtue out of the apples. He was informed by nearly all the frnitsellers that they were not one third supplied from the colonies ; they could do with a shipload jiln^at every day. He thought if they crkld get apples away about the latter part of February, or the first or second \^bk in March, they would always bring the highest price. Most of the Orizaba's apples were scarlet pearniain and Cox's orange pippins. Mr ' haffey's statement that a shipload of colonial fruit can be sold daily in London gives some idea of what the trade can be developed into. In this colony we can produce some of the finest apples south of the line. Oar soil and climate are i n

their favour. The present draw back is that ou producers do not, as arulelri^hc / to turn out thenfruit to me tat advantage. The fruit can be gi'own easily enough ; difficulty lies in the disposal oCit. The Cftliforniaas have developed an immense fruit tradev Syndicates of companies have been formed who buy the fruit as it grows on the trees At a certain price, gather, grade, and forward it to (the Eastern markets. The local Government have enl ployed experts, men who know exactly the requirements of distant markets, and how the fruit should be packed and delivered. These men lectuie in all the fruit-growing centres, and their services are always at the disposal of the producers. The result of this training is that fruit growing fo a .most profitable enterprise Witt* orchards are multiplying all over the State. Thore is no royal road to success in i'ne exporting of fruit. The main object of course is to obtain the (biggest possible price fat every case of apples aettt a,\V&y. That consummation *.« only arrived at by a knowledge oi' what the distant market requires, and how to place the apples on. that market in the highest state of perfection. A. case, for exaniple, o'£ scarlet peartnins, orange pippin, or golden russet if properly packed and graded, each, apple wrapped neatly in its feo\te£ of tissue paper, ■arid *&ck one as nearly as possible <o£ the exact size of its fellow> each packed with the crown tipwawls, would, ' on sight ' fetch, say, 25*u A case of the same apples, uugraded, improperly packed would not fetch more than 12s 6d. This fact is well-known to those who have un intimate knowledge of how fruit is disposed of in the great centres of the Old Country.— Herald.