PIP FRUIT PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 January 1939, Page 5

PIP FRUIT PRODUCTION

QUESTION OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL SOME GROWERS UNCERTAIN. DISTRICTS SAID TO BE AT ODDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, January 8. In common with fruit-growers throughout New Zealand, Otago orchardists were recently circularised by the New Zealand Fruit-growers’ Federation, Wellington, asking: "Are you in favour of asking the Government to take over the pip fruit of the Dominion at a fixed price to cover costs of production, plus a fair return to the grower, the price to be fixed by the Government after consultation with an approved body of representatives of the industry? Answer 'Yes’ or ‘No.’ ” Otago orchardists considered this question with very mixed feelings, the general belief being that it more or less asked whether they favoured Government control of the industry and the introduction of a guaranteed price system. As a result general opposition has been aroused, but, though a reply to the question had to be in the hands of the federation before the end of December, a good many orchardists did not reply.

Their reasons for maintaining silence have been given as twofold. To answer "Yes” would have meant placing themselves in the Government's hands without possessing any knowledge of what that entailed, and to answer "No" might have roused antagonism. A similar state of affairs is reported to exist in Canterbury. One Central Otago grower who discussed the matter with a reporter said there was no doubt at all that the majority of Otago fruit-growers were strongly opposed to any scheme such as that proposed. Any suggestion of Government interference was keenly resented and the growers preferred to market their own fruit to their own advantage. “Unfortunately.’' he said, "it appears that growers in the Hawke's Bay and Nelson districts are in favour of Government control and. as they are numerically stronger than the southern growers of pip fruit, it appears very much as though the Otago outlook will not matter and that an unwelcome state of affairs will be forced upon orchardists in this districts."