FRUIT PULP.

Motueka Star, Volume III, Issue 119, 3 October 1902, Page 3

FRUIT PULP.

ADVICE TO NEW ZEALAND | . fruitgrowers. I Mr H. O. Cameron, Produce Commissioner in London, writing unde-i date 22 nd August to the Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department, Wellington, on the subject of fruit pulp, says:—“ln my report, dated 14th November, 1901, on the market for fruit pulp in this country, I stated that the demand is dependent chiefly upon the result of the English fruit season —whether it is good or bad —also to a lesser degree on the European fruit crop* The weather during the present fruit, season has been so unusually bad in this country that the crop has been a comparative failure. On the Continent also the weather has been adverse, and the prospects of large supplies from there are also poor. Prices recently, especially for small fruits, have been steadily rising, and stocks of pulps are now in considerably reduced compass. Prices during the past year or two have been so low, both here and on the Continent, that growers have given less attention than formerly to the cultivation of fruit. The lesult has been that this season the quantity of fruit grown is le.'.s than for some years past. lam not aware what special fruits are grown in New Zealand for pulping. California, of course, will send apricots in large quantities, and I hear that this season the prospects there are that, the fruit being usually small in «ize, less of it will be available for bottling, and therefore a larger proportion will be used for pulping. So far as I am aware New Zealand will more probably grow small fiuits, such as raspberries and black currants, than apricots. If this is so, I feel strongly inclined to urge the shipment, if possible, of fruit pulp to this country during the next season. Stocks, now small, cannot be increased to any great extent from any source until the Australian season opens. By that time present supplies on hand will be exhausted, and there ought to be a good demand, at remunerative prices, for N.Z. shipments. Unfortunately I have no information as to what prices must be obtained before they will be payable to the fruitproducer. I should be pleased if I could be informed what prices would be accepted for shipments of raspberry and black currant pulp delivered ex ship in London. The present price . f raspberry pulp is about 26s per cwt, and for black currants about with an advancing market. Should it be decided to make shipments of pulp next season, I desire to impress upon shippers the necessity of closely adhering to the instructions given in the report on fruit pulp which I made to the Agricultural Department. Every care must be taken as to the quality being satisfactory. No water, sugar, or preservative must be added to the fruit. Tins containing 101 b each properly prepared and soluered so as to avoid risk of blowing, must be used. It is not often I take the responsibility of advising producers in the colony to risk shipping to the London market. I recognise that to do so is to an extent uncertain and speculative. I feel, however, so far as I can gather, that the coming season will be a better one for the venture than any during the past few years has been, and that 1 am warranted in offering this advice.”