FRUIT BOARD SHOULD HAVE RESERVE FUND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 361, 23 May 1928, Page 12

FRUIT BOARD SHOULD HAVE RESERVE FUND

AUCKLANDER’S VIEWS PROVINCIAL COUNCIL MEETS That it would be good policy for the Fruit-Control Board to build up a reserve fund was advocated at the conference of the Auckland Provincial Fruitgrowers’ Council yesterday afternoon. There was a good attendance and Mr. H. S. Izard presided. Remits to be submitted to the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation’s conference were freely discussed. The need for a reserve fund, it was stated, arose from the intimation that year by year the Government guarantee of 11s a case on all apples exported would drop, and there must be means for making advances to growers. It was not expected that the use would be made of the guarantee this year. GRADING TERMS A suggestion that “Good grade” be abolished and the export grades reduced to “Extra Fancy” and “Fancy,” was considered. It was stated that Cox’s Orange Pippins, in “Good grade,” were probably worth more than “Extra Fancy” Jonathans, while the more apples that were exported the better it was for growers. There had been about 25,000 to 30,000 “Good Grade” this season. Of the first shipment by the Tainui, “Extra Fancy” Cox’s realised 28s to 30s; “Fancy,” 25s to 265; and “Good,” 20s to 225. The possibilities for the export of apples to Honolulu were commented on, and the question will receive attention at the federation conference. SHIPPING TO CONTINENT A Poverty Bay remit suggested that better facilities be given for exporting large-sized apples, even if a lower guarantee was offered. It was stated that an experimental shipment of large Ballarat and Grosvenor apples from Poverty Bay had been forwarded direct to the Continent, and if there was a market for large-size they would be accepted for shipping to the Continental market next season. The difficulty was to secure direct shipment to the Continent. Attention was drawn to the fact that South Africa had exported 900,000 cases of pears to England in the last few yea*s, while New Zealand sent a little over 60,000. An investigation of the pear market, especialy regarding prices and varieties, was urged. Mr. Travers, Te Kauwhata. reported that he had successfully preserved apples by coring, peeling them, and afterwards putting them in fumes of sulphur for 24 hours.