ANTIPODEAN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 435, 8 January 1890, Page 3

ANTIPODEAN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

INTERVIEW WITH A LEADING FRUIT MERCHANT. (PROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.) London, November 16. Acting on the suggestion of several interested Anglo-colonists, I yesterday called upon Mr William Sheppard, one of the leading fruit merchants of Spitalfield Market, with a view to ascertaining particulars of price, quality, and condition of the numerous consignments of Australian apples received here last season. M r Sheppard himself was absent, but on learning my business his “better half” kindly introduced me to their foreman, who, she explained knew a good deal more of the matter than her husband. The said foreman told me in the course of conversation that he had been in the fruit and vegetable trade for over 40 years, and had within the past five spent some months in South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, where he had splendid opportunities to observe the methods of the Antipodean fruit-erowers. “ Well,” I asked, “ what do you think of the apples that have been shipped so far ?” “As to quality,” he replied, “ you could not wish for better, especially the Scarlet Permains and Nonpareils. They are really splendid —quite equal to the American Newtown Pippin—and would fotcii a good price if the exporters could only be persuaded to take more pains in packing them. Last year, for instance, some Scarlet Permains came over wrapped in paper and fairly well packed. These realised as much as 16s per case, but others badly packed only brought from 4s to ss. Faulty packing is, I suppose, the great drawback.”

“ Yes. Colonial notions of packing appear to be very crude. Apples should be packed very tight, and if possible wrapped in paper like oranges. It would pay exporters to take more pains in that department.”

“Perhaps,’' I hazarded, “if an expert, who knew the English market and all the * ins and outs ’ of the trade were to go to the colonies and give them a few wrinkles it might be an advantage.” “Just the thing, . especially if they secured a really A 1 man~ono, mind you, who knew the business thoroughly, to look to the selection of good keepers, and the packing, shipping, etc. The Antipodean fruit trade would then develop into a big thing. You see the apples from South Australia and Tasmania would arrive here just as we are getting short of all sorts, and the first two or three shipments are therefore bound to command very remunerative prices; This is, of course, providing they arrive in good condition. To ensure that, the, apples should be picked a couple of weeks earlier than is usual out there and tightly packed, otherwise well they’d better keep 'em at home. Of course, now I am referring solely to the good sorts like Permain’s and nonpareils. It sno use sending the inferior fruit. My informant then told me that last year a couple of bags of white onions had been sent to Spitalfields market from Geelong. They were in fair condition, notwithstanding their being in bags instead of boxes, but owing to the large quantity on the market then, only realised indifferent rates. Onions were only making about £4 per ton last year. Now, however, the price is nearer £B, and in February and March they will be commanding from £lO to £l2. If the colonials would ship a quantity of good white onions (red ones won’t sell) packed in cwt. boxes, so as to arrive here about the latter end of February, they would find the venture highly profitable. I feel sure that about the time mentioned good white onions are likely to be scarce, and the colonial article will come in on a rising market, • My informant further stated that New Zealand did not at present grow any apples of sufficiently fine quality, to be worth exporting He added, however, that when he was in the colony a few years back plenty of people were planting orchards of suitable trees, and in time, no doubt, the New Zealand fruit might successfully compete with the South Australian or Tasmanian,