H—3o

The following table gives comparative domestic market quantities since 1940 :

Direct selling to hospitals, Armed Forces, and railway refreshment-rooms was continued, but direct sales to retailers were eliminated early in March by direction of the Boasd. The total distributed through the former channels to 30th September was 31,800 cases, compared with 26,700 in 1948 and 32,100 in 1947. Table 3 shows how fruit has been distributed over the past ten years. Export The total export for the season was 524,064 cases of apples of which 412,597 went to the United Kingdom, 54,000 to the continent, 27,886 to the United States of America, and 29,581 to Canada. This is the first time in history that New Zealand has been able to get apples inffeo the United States. Of,the total quantity, 206,986 cases were loaded at Napier and 317,078 at Wellington. Due to a 5-per-cent. increase in overseas freight, the price offered by the British Ministry of Food was 20s. per case for Cox Orange Pippin, and 12s. per case for other varieties, compared with 20s. 6d. and 12s. 6d. respectively for the 1948 season's export, and in addition, due to the appreciation of the New Zealand pound to sterling, the 25-per-cent. exchange was lost. The net f.o f b. returns for the various markets in 1949 were 13s. 7-98 d. per case for the United Kingdom, 15s. l-sd. per case for the continent, 15s. 4-87 d. per case for Cariada, and 16s. 0-45 d. per case for the United States, giving an overall net return from all export markets of 14s. 0-59 d. per case. Apple Dehydration The apple-processing plant at Motueka continued its operations and 3,775,565 lb. of raw fruit was processed, yielding 345,060 lb. of dried product (apple slices) and 22,974 lb. of dried peels and cores.,

14

— Apples. | ! Pears. 1 Total. 1940 1,664,900 167,600 1 | 1,832,500 1941 2,297,000 347,800 2,644,800 1942 .. 1,923,700 183,400 | 2,107,100 1943 2,025,700 235,400 2,261,100 1944 2,201,300 269,700 1 2,471,000 1945 1,860,100 275,800 2,135,900 1946 2,087,400 182,000 j 2,269,400 1947 1,333,100 207,200 | 1,540,300 1948 1,597,300 303,300 | 1,900,600 1949 (estimated) 1,431,800 291,300 1,723,100