GOOD FRUIT YEAR

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 152, 24 December 1929, Page 14

GOOD FRUIT YEAR

EXPANDING MARKETS

CHANCE FOR DOMINION

"T!b; past season for New Zealand fruit, which has oi-ly iust concluded, has been a very good one," said Mr. H. E. Stephens, European representative of the Now Zealand Fruit Board, to a representative of "The New Zealand News" (London).

"The net average price for the year, after all expenses at this end have been deducted, amount to 13s, compared with about 10s 4d last year. After the freight of 3s 6d a case is allowed for, the net return is still very good. The total number of cases sent to Europe this year is 979,949, compared with just over a million last year, so that we are not so much down as was at one time expected. The second half of the season produced a very heavy crop, aud as it was very late in arriving there was no Australian competition, and this considerably assisted us in getting a good price. "For the first time we arranged this year direct shipments to Continental ports, and we have found that Rotterdam forms a splendid distributing centre for South Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France. Unfortunately one of the shipments proved a bad one, but we were able to lessen the effect on our reputation by releasing a supply of excellent fruit from cool store. When I went over, at the broker's request, to investigate the results of the bad shipment, I travelled down the Khine through South Germany. Every hotel we stayed at, except one, had New Zealand apples on the table, and as they did not know we were coming, this goes to prove what a wonderful distribution New Zealand apples have had. The consumption of fruit has increased enormously in Germany, as the result of an advertising campaign, and I should think that about twice as much fruit is being eaten.

"Fortunately the Continental consumer will take varieties and sizes which are not popular in Britain, where the small apple is in favour. A variety, Dun's, which we cannot sell in England, is much esteemed on the Continent, so that all our supplies of it are naturally diverted there. P. Barry pears are another case in point. "South America will take apples •which are too big even for the Continent, and big, shipments are sent there. We have also sent a shipment this year to Canada, and it has been quite successful. Besides Monte Video, Bio, and Halifax, New Zealand fruit has been sent direct thi3 year to Southampton, London, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and the Continent. Indirect shipments have been sent to Cardiff, Newcastle, and Birmingham. It is a significant thing that in the matter of price all the provincial centres except Manchester have beaten London. "New Zealand has been represented at the Imperial Fruit Show at Birming--ham with apples from our ordinary store, and three prizes were awarded to us. Prince George, who opened the show, was very interested in our exhibit when he was informed how long ago the apples had been picked." Mr. Stephens said that the work done by the High Commissioner's Publicity section in arranging the fruit and honey display at the show was remarkably fine. "The results achieved by the section, in view of the small amount of money voted for the purpose, are marvellous," he said. "In view of the fact that the Government gives the fruitgrowers a guarantee which might involve the expenditure of half a million pounds, it seems to me ludicrous that only two or three hundred pounds should be devoted to pushing tho sale of our fruit here. As a mere matter of insurance, apart from other considerations, reasonable expenditure on exhibitions would justify itself. There is no need to throw money away, but a larger amount used as judiciously as the present amount is would bring in a splendid return." Mr. Stephens is remaining here for the winter, instead of making his usual visit to New Zealand, and he hopes to arrange forward sales to Continental buyers.