RASPBERRY PULP IN LONDON.

Motueka Star, Volume IV, Issue 199, 17 July 1903, Page 3

RASPBERRY PULP IN LONDON.

The Government Biologist (Mr T. W. Kirk) has received the following report from the office of the produce Commissioner in London : Two or three months ago when advice was received of the intention of New-Zealand producers to ship sulphurised raspberry pulp to Londou, trade opinion was taken in the matter, with the result that a report was made adverse to shipment of pulp in that form, as being unsuitable for this market. Considerable quantities of sulphurised pulp have, however, come forward from the colony, and, contrary to expectations, have found a sale at I high prices. Messrs W. Weddel and | Co., who, with one or two exceptions, have handled the pulp shipments from New Zealand, candidly admit that their opinion in this matter, one strongly unfavourable to the sulphurised article, has not been borne out byevents. While this is so, however, it seems clear that the present market situation is altogether abnormal. Such a position may not recur for years, and this season’s experiences cannot be taken as a criterion, although it will be sme time before stocks accumulate again. It would appear that the scarceness of raspberry pulw, marked for some time past, has latterly become acute. The market being so bare, jam-makers have had more or less to take what tney could get, and whatever the manner in which the goods were processed. Apart from household consumption, raspberry jamais in particular and steady demand by confectioners, who could ill do without it, while the jam-makers would naturally be-loth to pass business. In making inquiries some little time ago as to the comparative merits or demerits of sulphurised and boiled pulp, I was shown by Messrs Batcher and Co., a large London firm of jam makers, samples of raspberry jam made from each form of the New Zealand pulp. The sample made with sulphurised pulp was com" paratively fluid, i.e., it had apparently lost its body or jelly. Messrs Batcher emphasisod this as lowering the quality and characteristics of the jam, and consequently a great objection to the suldhur process. They stated, moreover, that no reputable English jammaker would stiffen such jam with sago or fe the like, according to the under stood practice of colonial manufacturers. The raspberry seeds were also, it

appeared, bleached and rendered very hard by the sulphurising process. Before consenting to make any offer for New Zealand sulphurised pulp, this firm had a careful analysis made of the jam they had manufactured from the sample supplied to them, in order to ascertain whether any trace of sulphur w-as left in the finished article. The result, it is satisfactory to record, was favourable, enabling a guarantee to be given that the jam w-as free from chemicals. At the time of my visit Messrs Batcher were not at all anxious to tonch sulphurised pulp, and, if so, 'only at a very much reduced price compared w-ith the boiled pulp. Since then, however, I understand that this firm, together with others, have been driven by the exigencies of the market to make purchases of the sulphurised article at excreme rates, as much as £3 2 £34 per ton having been paid Circumstances have thus given New Zealand sulphurised pulp a good introduction to the market and trade here, and no doubt a good deal of the prejudice against the sulphurising process will have been removed. The alleged destruction of the body of the fruit by this jprocess j must, however, not be lost sight of in considering the matter generally. The English and Continental raspberry season is now drawing near. Crop forecasts by various authorities are somewhat indefinite, the effect of the Easter frosts being rather an uncertain factor in the estimates. In w-ell-informed quarters, however, an ordinary crop is expected. In the meantime the market should hold fairly w-ell, and in any case there is a wide margin of profit below present ruling prices. There is a considerable quantity of New Zealand pulp afloat, the nearest at hand being, I understand, on the lonic, due in a-few days. I jam informed that the casks in which the sulphurised pulp|is shipped have stood transportation well. There have been a few claims for leakage, but, generally speaking, the package may be regarded as satisfactory.