GUARANTEE SOUGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1943, Page 3

GUARANTEE SOUGHT

OF COST OF PRODUCTION OF APPLES & PEARS INDUSTRY IN SERIOUS POSITION. STATEMENT BY FEDERATION PRESIDENT. (Special to the “Times-Age.”) WELLINGTON. This Day. Following on the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers 1 Federation, the president (Mr T. C. Brash), in the course of an extended review of the position of the industry, said the result of growing apples and pears, during tire war years, had been disastrous both nationally and for the general run of growers. Since 1939 some 200.000 fruit trees had been destroyed, and the orchards which remained were showing distinct signs of neglect. Growers were becoming disheartened, and many had left their orchards in despair. “Today,” Mr Brash continued, “the position on the market has entirely changed. In 1940, 1941 and 1942 there was a surplus of these fruits on the market, but the demand has grown so substantially that already apples and pears are being rationed on to the market. The position will be infinitely worse during 1944, and unless a change takes place providing for the payment of the actual average production costs, the industry, except for a favoured few, is doomed. The conference placed on record its extreme disappointment that ils request for the average cost of production has been ignore- 1. It submits that the apple and near industry is now in a position to claim that every case that can be produced is needed. It has again submitted its claim for an average price of 6s 71 d, as being the cost of production. “Representatives .waited on the Minister of Marketing and members of the Stabilisation Committee and submitted this claim,” Mr Brash continued. “Further, the industry offered and has again renewed the offer to submit its figures of cost to the Price Tribunal and abide by its finding. Urgency is claimed for an early settlement, as expenditure on the production Of the 1944 crop began in June, 1943, and until the price is settled growers are entirely in the dark: as to the position.” Even if 6s 7|d per case were granted, Mr Brash concluded, the net return for growing fruit after taking case and packing charges into account, is only 3s 71d per bushel, or approximately a penny per pound. The increase for which the growers are asking is 71d per case, equal to one-fifth of a penny per pound.