AMERICAN LEMONS

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21364, 7 March 1941, Page 2

AMERICAN LEMONS

GROWERS CONCERNED IMPORTED TO DOMINION (By Telegrapn.—Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Friday The arrival in the Dominion of a quantity of American lemons, imported by the Internal Marketing Division, is causing concern to Auckland fruitgrowers, who will interview the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, today. “According to information I have received, the public has been charged as high as 7d for three lemons,” said Mr H. H. Booth, a member of the executive of the Auckland Citrus Growers’ Association. “Growers are paid 7s a bushel in Auckland for grade fruit, about 200 lemons going to the bushel. Easily 20 per cent of our production is below the grade and has to be sold to the factory at prices from id to per lb. “Is it any wonder in such circumstances that growers have destroyed trees, and others are neither picking the fruit nor spraying the trees ? Such neglected orchards are, of course, a menace to the industry. When Mr Nash fixed the price at a maximum of 7s a case, the cost of production was generally about 9s 6d a case, and it has since advanced to nearly 10s 6d. The industry is dying on its feet and will pass out of existence unless we can get better treatment from the Government.”