MARKETING OF FRUIT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 210, 5 August 1937, Page 2

MARKETING OF FRUIT

IMPROVEMENT INTERNALLY. Mil F. R. PICOT’S IDEAS. WELLINGTON, Aug. 4. Suggestions for improvements in the marketing of fruit in New Zealand were made by the Director of Internal Marketing, Mr F. B. Picot, in an address to the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation at Wellington to-day. Mr Picot said that the Government was anxious to help the industry, hut did not wish to take from growers the organising initiative; it looked to them to make the first move and give their help and co-operation. He suggested that groups should he formed in the various districts to make recommendations to the Fruitgrowers’ Central Advisory Committee, which would convey them to the internal marketing branch. He pointed out that the views of the whole industry, including the minority, would have to be considered. The conference agreed to the suggestion, and decided that the present advisory committee, with the addition of Mr W. A. Tate, Wairarapa, should remain in existence until the provincial committees had an opportunity of apnointing a new committee. Mr Picot strongly advocated the centralisation of selling floors in the large cities. Owing to the perishable nature of fruit, auctioneering would always be the principal -method of selling, and the concentration of buyers and sellers under one roof would be most economical. Simplicity of standardisation of fruit for the local market was essential, Mr Picot declared. The branch wanted to be able to carry cut the graded system to the point of the consumer, which could not be done if there were so many grades,that the retailer was confused himself. It should be possible for a housewife to go into a shop and know that she was getting fruit of the quality it was originally graded. The importance of an intensive advertising campaign was stressed by Mr Picot. “New Zealand is fortunate in being able to grow produce second to none in the world, hut the people don’t seem quite to realise it,” he said. “What of the future?” asked Mr Picot. “You are singularly fortunate in that, at the present time, you have no embarrassing legislation; hut you are on the verge of getting the legislation that you want, provided it is based on common for the good of the industrv—and you can’t ask for more.”

Mr H. E. Stephens and other delegates expressed the opinion that no voluntary scheme for the reorganisation of the industry would be successful; legislative compulsion would be essential. Air J. A. Campbell, Director of Horticulture, said that the idea was that a voluntary move should he made in the first instance h,v the growers, seeking Government compulsion to bring in the minority.