FRUIT SUBSIDY

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20951, 2 November 1939, Page 2

FRUIT SUBSIDY

SUGGESTION FOR GROWERS SERIOUS GLUT FACED (Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Wednesday The payment of a subsidy by the Government to apple and pear growers so as to ensure them a guaranteed price for the whole of their crop in the three top grades—extra fancy, fancy and good—was suggested to-day by Mr Harvey Turner, chairman of directors of Turner and Growers. Limited, when commenting on the statement made by the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, concerning the fruit industry’s problems. Mr Turner said this subsidy would be a means of relieving the serious glut of fruit that growers were facing as a result of the lack of export shipping facilities due to war conditions. Also it would be an incentive to growers to produce higher quality fruit. The sales of fruit should be made in a normal manner through the usual channels of distribution. If this were not done it would lead to the disruption of the whole business through the introduction of further middlemen, whether Government or otherwise. Tinkering With Problem Mr Turner said the offer to purchase the eyes of the crop, extra fancy and fancy grades only for export or sale in New Zealand by the Government was only tinkering with the problem. What the growers needed was a straight-out purchase price by the Government for the whole of their crop or, as would be better for all concerned, a guaranteed price for their three top grades. This would mean that the Government would have a considerable sum of money which would really be a subsidy to the industry. However, as payment would be made in New Zealand funds, no difficulty should be experienced in that direction.