PRUNE PLANTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1939, Page 3

PRUNE PLANTING

AREA AT BIRKDALE.. NEW INDUSTRY PROSPECTS. To test the practicability of prunegrowing on a commercial scale in New Zealand, about 130 trees of the prune d’agen variety have been planted in the orchard of Mr W. A. Christiansen, of Birkdale. They are part of 500 trees which have been established experimentally with the co-operation of the Department of Agriculture in Otago, Nelson, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland. The New Zealand market .absorbs about 1205 tons of dried prunes annually and up to the present the bulk of these requirements has come from Australia and California. Following the establishment of processing and packing plant at Petone, the present tests are being carried out to estimate the possibilities of growing prunes under local conditions. Where the results prove favourable, a nucleus from which plantations may be extended will be available.

The 130 trees planted at Birkdale are now flourishing, and the local conditions appeal' to have suited their early growth. The trees normally require three years before fruiting, but some have been grafted on to peach and different plum stocks to obtain an earlier crop. As a result, it is hoped that fruit will be available next year so that the authorities may ascertain the quality of the prunes as- well as gain an accurate indication of their season for maturity. The quantity of prunes which are imported into New Zealand at a cost of £50,000 annually represents about 3012 tons of fresh fruit of the requisite quality. If the present experiments prove a success it is considered that no serious difficulties will handicap an expansion of local production to meet these requirements in full.