IF PROHIBITION COMES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2072, 30 December 1919, Page 3

IF PROHIBITION COMES.

■GRAPE GROWERS’ PROBLEM. 'NEW 'INDUSTRY POSSIBLE. MANUFACTURE OF ‘-'RAISINS.” in view of the possibility of prohibition coming into force in Nev> Zealand, Hie following reference by a Satt Francisco correspondent to the future .prospects of Hie winegrape vineyards of California is of interest. The writer says.: — It looks as though the expectations of: those who hoped that some way would he discovered whereby the owners of wine-grape vineyards in California would be saved from financial loss because of prohibitum have been realised beyond all doubt. While plan-, for turning these grapes into various kinds of food products have been going forward for some lime, it Ims been contended by some that these fields did not offer a sufficient market to absorb Hie 409,->3)O-ton wine-grape cron of Ihe State.

According to inform:) I ton given a representa 1 ivc of (!tc Christian Science Monbor at 1 lie office of 1 lie* State Market Commission, however, a process has been discovered and put in operation that, if it is taken advantage of by (he vineyardisls, will enable the growers to market at a, profitable price all the wine grapes that they can grow. 'ln fact, the discovery practically amounts to the founding of a new industry, since it enables (lie grower to turn those grapes into a kind of raisin that has not been produced before. A Ink; this will be. known as a secondgrade raisin, it is of such quality that, according to investigations carried on hy the State Market Commission, it will Had a ready and unlimited market, not only in this country, but in Europe and other parts of the world. The process is based upon a method of drying the grape- by direct heal, and has been iried mil in an extensi'-c way by one of the large.-l, viaeyardists in the Stale. Largo quantities of I lie new products are now linding a ready market in the eastern section ol the Lnited Slate-.

“Il is possible." said an ollieial of (he Slate 'Market Commission, '‘dial- I here will he (wo grades of (he new prodnel, one suiuewhal similar l» ihe Zaiilc currant, and (he other to a second-grade raisin. The process Innis mil a product that Jins fur eireeded (lie expectations of ihe growers or ihe experts. “Cnder ; plan (hut 100- been l.oriaalaled hy Harris Weiiislork. Stale, markel direeior, il is expert,ed lhal a. dried-grape growers eo-opera-tive marketing assoeialioa will he I'm med al in early dale. I] will he Ihe purpose ol' lids organisaihm lo t-iahll'h e-niimnniiy driers nt cen-trally-loe,-iled points in (he wmegrape districts, where Ihe vineyardis(s may bring their grapes for curing, and also to carry out a eoiujU’elieiisive system of enlleelhe marketing of the produels on a scale that would he impossible for the Individual grower. Working through tin's organisation, the growers eouid not only ship their product in hulk lo markets throughout this country, hut lo European markefs, where the demaud is practically unlimited,

"Considered on this basis, it wd! tie sd'Ji ti’d't Tiifc-plan becomes u matter of ihe-mimosf iiowortance to the vineyantisj, since it becomes the .solution of his problem which comes with Federal Prohibition, on January Kith, 1020. 1 do not think that there is any question that this means that, if the growers wish to take advantage of this opportunity to markel their grapes in this way, there need he no llnaucinl loss to them, when prohibition goes into effect.”