DOMINION FRUIT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 179, 30 June 1937, Page 4

DOMINION FRUIT

YEAR OF DEPRESSED PRICES. Taken" as a whole, New Zealand apples and pears were not considered up to their usual standard last season, states the annual report of the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board. Tho extraordinary* weather experienced before the harvest had the natural sequence of excessive russet and blemish, it is stated.

Over-supply and heavy speculation depressed the markets. A total of 942.000 cases of apples was exported to the United Kingdom, Europe, South America, Canada, and the East, compared with 1,228,000 cases the previous season. Pear exports amounted to 42,416 cases, compared with 113,031 cases in 1935. Although other classes of freights j had been loaded with an increase of 2) per cent, in costs, the board had been able to reneiv its contract at a little Jess than the previous rate for both apples and pears. It was with regret that attention was drawn to the unsatisfactory labour conditions which prevailed at times, especially during the 1936 and 1937 shipping seasons. The handling of fruit in discharge and loading had at times been very bad. Discussing finance, the report states that c.i.f. proceeds from the sale of fruit, plus the settlement of a Tasmanian claim, together with exchange gained, totalled £521,702 15s 4d. Rebates for shipping services and on market commission totalled £14,344 14s 4d. The Government contributed £12,500 to the guarantee fund and this, with growers’ credits and the balance brought the fund up to £591,327 9s 9d. Administration expenses totalled £7717 15s 4d, and other charges amounted to £66,407 os sd, and overseas freights to £228,232 13s lOd, leaving £288,953 Os 7d to be paid to growers.