Oranges Now

NZ Wants Jamaica Oranges Now Islands Fall Down on Job of Providing Fruit

SUVA, Sept. 18.

EW ZEALAND’S search for tropical and semi-tropical fruit has now extended to the st Indies. n September, a representative of NZ fruit distributing company ich has succeeded the Govem ntal Internal Marketing Division, 5 in Suva, en route to Jamaica to to buy oranges for the Dominion, pparently, the Cook Islands can supply them in quantities to ftl the NZ demand the whole r round. Norfolk Island does grow sufficient to take up the ;k—and shipping facilities are dequate. NZ is so afraid of im ting fruit-fly that it will not r e Australian coastal fruit, and •roved fruit from the Murray gation Area is said to be too r —in special export packs, about - per case, Sydney, lollar troubles prevent the im tation of Californian oranges, ch found a ready market in NZ :he days before currency restric is. 0 one but an economist or a nner could see sense in the essity of importing fruit from as away as Jamaica when the ninion is surrounded by countries able of producing excellent nges. ew Zealand’s fruit problems are :ely the outcome of the post-war ra boom. Copra is an industry t suits the average islander Lething that can be done when spirit moves him, or left con iently until the following week. it, on the other hand, has an ortunate habit of becoming over -1 if left on the tree too long.

Falling Banana Production IE September Matua left Apia with 2,000 cases of bananas fewer than provided for; Fiji • was 1,000 cases down on its ta. he long spell of dry weather is i partly responsible; but it ns certain that if the Islands t industry is to benefit by the ition of the Union Steamship s new Tofua to the south Pacific ie at the beginning of next year, Lething will have to be done in a ry to boost banana production, ofua and Matua will run itical services except that one them will go to a NZ South nd port to discharge fruit. At sent the Matua’s terminal port Auckland and all fruit has to be isshipped there. 11 Islands fruit production has

fallen drastically since the war. If they cannot fill one ship now it seems unlikely that they can fill two in three months’ time.

The theory is that once the islanders know that regular ship ping is available they will tum-to and produce more fruit; but, while copra and cocoa are bringing such high prices, this seems unlikely— except in Fiji, where a banana planting campaign was undertaken some months ago.

Fruit Juice Industry FRUIT juices and preserved paw paw for the New Zealand cordial trade are manufactured in Fiji and Vavau (Tonga) by Fix Plantations of Fiji.

The fruit is pulped and shipped

in four gallon cans and, potentially, should be profitable to the pro prietors and of much assistance to fruit-poor New Zealand, which will take all it can get of these products.

However, like most potentially good industries these days, this one has its problems the tin plate shortage being one of them.